


Breaking You

by ArtistAtHeart1



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bat Brothers, Bat Family, Dick grayson centric, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Emotionally Compromised, Family, Gen, Hurt Dick Grayson, Injury Recovery, Kidnapping, Major Character Injury, My First AO3 Post, Physical Abuse, Protective Bruce Wayne, Protective Damian Wayne, Protective Jason, Psychological Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-02-28 11:39:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 33,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13270683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtistAtHeart1/pseuds/ArtistAtHeart1
Summary: Jason finds Dick badly beaten after having gone missing a month ago.  This forces Jason and Bruce to not only have to interact, but to call a truce while Dick recovers.  All the while, they want to find Slade and the reason why he targeted Dick in the first place.  Damian and Tim will have slightly least active roles (Damian only having a little more because of plot reasons down the line), but they still have a reason for being here.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first piece on here. I'll admit, I was a bit nervous uploading this (probably because it is the first one on here), but I hope you enjoy it. This is also on Fanfiction.

The doors of Gotham Mercy were knocked open as Jason Todd bolted inside. In his arms was the bloody, unconscious body of Dick Grayson. He forced his way through people, civilian and medical alike. Jason was on the hunt, caught up with his own chaos, aggressively seeking out someone to help him.

"Leslie!" Jason growled, finding the doctor he wanted. "I found him."

Horror took over the doctor as she saw the dying figure in his arms. She immediately grabbed Dick's wrist, finding a fading pulse. She then noted that his breathing was labored and the fact that he was bleeding onto Jason.

"What happened?" She gasped.

"I don't know. I just found him like this, and he needs medical attention, quick."

"This way."

Leslie quickly led Jason to the nearest gurney, bringing several nurses along with her. Once Jason gently placed on it, everyone bolted towards the emergency room.

"He's been gone for a month, how on Earth did you find him?" Leslie panted.

"I got lucky." Jason replied. "I just happened to be out when I found him on the ground, bleeding by an alleyway."

They reached the emergency room when Leslie placed a hand in front of Jason, stopping him. The motion only seemed to annoy the former Robin.

"You have to wait here." She ordered. "You being in there won't help him, and we have to get him stable as soon as possible."

Letting out an angered grunt, Jason sat down and allowed the doctor to do her job.

After about an hour, Leslie exited the emergency room to find an impatient Jason pacing back and forth. It didn't take long for him to notice her, as he stood in front of her almost instantly.

"How is he?" Jason interrogated.

"He's stable." Leslie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "All we know now is that he's got several stab wounds, some old, some new. We stitched him up and have him on fluids, and we'll get him into an X-ray once we've got him settled."

A sigh of relief escaped from Jason as the nurses brought out the unconscious crime fighter. He was about to follow him, when Leslie's hand grabbed his arm. He gave her an irritated yet curious look.

"There's something that I need to tell you," Leslie admitted, "and you're not going to like it."

His expression let her know that he was listening.

"Because of the fact that he's been missing, regardless of the fact that he is an adult, we need to notify his family."

Leslie could immediately tell that Jason wasn't liking where this was going.

"Had he been found earlier, I would have made the call myself. However, given his schedule at this time of night, I don't think I'm the best person to make that call. Quite frankly, I find that it'd be a bit suspicious if I made that call from my office."

"I am not calling him." Jason growled.

"He's Dick's adopted father Jason. He has to know."

"I found him, so I'm going to be the one to care for him."

This time it was Leslie who was starting to get irritated.

"Look, I understand that you and Bruce don't exactly see eye to eye these days, but Dick is just as much his son as he is your brother. The last thing I want is for him to do what he's doing, not knowing that he's here. I'm only asking you to do this because you're the only one who can reach Batman to tell him his son's been found, without it raising an alarm."

She handed him a paper with Dick's room number before let him go and followed the gurney to its designated room.

"You can stay in his room once you've made the call."

Jason watched her leave, still angered by her demands. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to argue her more on the matter, he pulled his cellphone out. He dialed the only number that he knew that Bruce would answer while in the cowl.

Jason listened to the sound of ringing. After ringing three times, the sound of the call being picked up sounded off.

"Why are you calling me Jason?" Bruce's voice growled.

"Come to Gotham Mercy." Jason ordered. "I found Dick."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we've got Bruce and Damian thrown into the mix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I should probably mention that neither Stephanie nor Cass will be in this. Not because I dislike them, but because I don't think I'm familiar enough with their characters to write them well, even if I did want to include them. I know who they are, I just don't think I could get them in character as well as Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian (considering I haven't read a lot of Stephanie or Cass' stuff) at this time. So, in the event you wanted to know where they're at, this is why they're not included.

Bruce bolted down the halls of Gotham Mercy Hospital, with Damian not too far behind. It had taken long for them to get out of their alter egos and speed to the hospital. Door numbers had started to blur as they ran through the halls of the hospital until they reached room four hundred forty. They weren't even fazed when they were greeted by a still blood stained Jason. He was sitting on the edge of Dick's bed, with a copy of Dick's charts in his hand.

"Several broken ribs, a sprained ankle, and a minor concussion." Jason listed. "Not to mention several stab wounds that have been stitched up and enough blood loss to warrant a blood transfusion. He hasn't been all that conscious, so there isn't much of a story to tell."

Bruce's attention briefly went to Dick, wanting to get a good look at his son. Dick was unconscious, but thankfully, it appeared that his breathing was regulating like it should. Dick was sporting several bandages that wrapped around the injured bones in question. An IV was attached to his arm and a heart monitor was showing that his heart was in good standings. A mix of concern, frustration, and relief battled it out in Bruce's mind. The fact that Dick was alive gave Bruce a sense joy, but at the same time, the fact that Dick had been as damaged as he was infuriated him.

All the while Damian was taking in Jason's words and the scene in front of them. He didn't show any sign of how he felt, his face not showing any emotion outside of its usual serious nature.

"You just missed Tim." Jason stated, stealing Bruce's attention back.

"How did he handle it?"

"As good as he could I suppose. He's happy to know that he's alive, but I think seeing Dick like this freighted him. Especially after Dick woke up dazed and confused right as they were about to take him for an X-ray. I had to hold him down so they could sedate him, he was lashing out that bad. I told Tim to go home, he didn't need to be rattled any more than he already was. He told me that he would come back either in the morning or the following day. He needs to come to grips with it."

Silence filled the room again, attentions falling on Dick once more. Silent sympathies going out to him. While he wouldn't admit it, Damian felt pity for Dick and the fact that he had been attacked to the degree that he was.

"You're free to go." Bruce dismissed. "I can take it from here."

"I'm not going anywhere." Jason bitterly denied.

Jason bolted up offended by Bruce's declaration, and it showed.

"You don't need to be here."

"Yes I do. In case you have forgotten, I found him."

"And for that I'm thankful for Jason, but I am capable of taking it from here."

"Considering how successful you've been in finding him over the last month, I am having a hard time believing that right now."

Jason let out a heated sigh.

"Look, I know you care for him, but I'm not going to leave him now. I'm already invested in this and there's nothing you can say…"

A hand gently wrapped itself around Jason's wrist, stopping their argument in its tracks. Jason and Bruce's attentions were once again tugged towards the hospital bed, as Damian presented a surprised glare at the site.

Dick had just barely started regaining consciousness, pained blue eyes focusing on Jason, the only person he could visually identify at the moment.

"Stop… Please." Dick begged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's also worth mentioning that while writing this, I have made an effort to keep everyone as in character as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we get a look into the cause of Dick's disappearance a month ago

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics will either signify flashbacks or dreams

Sitting back down at Dick's side, Jason silently took his request, all the while Bruce and Damian stole the chairs.

"Leslie said you'd be out for the rest of the night." Jason stated.

"Yeah, well, it's kind of hard with you two having a shouting match." Dick chuckled, attempting to sit up.

Hissing in pain with every little movement forward, he was soon greeted by Jason's hand lightly tapping his chest. With little no effort, Jason gently pushed Dick, who was barely protesting, back down on the slanted bed.

"She also said that you shouldn't do a lot of moving, unless you want to pop another stitch."

Dick let out another chuckle at Jason's doting statement.

"Yes mom."

Dick shifted just enough to get himself comfortable, though with all eyes now on him, getting completely comfortable felt easier said than done.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" Dick averted, looking out the window.

"Talk." Bruce bluntly ordered.

A frown subconsciously began to form on Dick's face, accepting that he failed to avoid the inevitable. In the back of his mind, Dick knew Bruce wouldn't let him get far. It was a rookie mistake in its purest sense and there was no going back.

Having blocked out his visitors for long enough, Dick turned his attention back to them.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning, shouldn't I?"

"No." Jason sarcastically replied. "Where else are you supposed to start? The end?"

_A brisk breeze combed through Dick's hair as he made the hike to the Bludhaven Police Department for another productive day. A number of people greeted him along the way, which made Dick's already pleasant demeanor grow._

_After several months of work Dick had finally been promoted from desk work to field work, and he was genuinely excited to get started. Knowing that he'd be helping Bludhaven in not only its nightlife, but during the hectic daytime as well, filled him with a sense pride._

_It was a quarter to nine, when Dick finally arrived on the perimeter of the police department grounds. With fifteen minutes left before his shift began, he was making great time._

_Without any warning, a fist would smash Dick in the face, knocking him down. When Dick regained his composure, he got a good look at his attacker and bolted into a defensive stance._

_"How's it going Grayson?" Deathstroke greeted. "It's been a while."_

_"What do you want?" Dick growled._

_"I'm glad you asked." Deathstroke slid a sword out. "Let's just say I'm conducting an experiment, and you're the perfect fit for my test subject."_

_Anger plastered itself on Dick's face, taking offense to his declaration._

_"Not going to happen."_

_Dick launched his fist at the assassin, aiming for his orange and black masked face. It would make impact, but he wouldn't have time to retaliate as Deathstroke returned the gift, his fist colliding with Dick's stomach. Dick would make a quick recovery, deflecting a blow from Deathstroke's blade. He went to kick Deathstroke, only for the man to grab his foot and throw him. Hitting a tree, Dick had the wind knocked out of him. It stunned him for a moment, but it didn't stop him from getting his footing back._

_Even with slightly blurred vision, Dick couldn't see Deathstroke. Getting into a defensive stance, he anxiously scanned his surroundings. Before Dick had a chance to react, a hand cupping around his mouth and nose. The scent of chloroform began to infect Dick, as it oozed off of the cloth in Deathstrokes hand. Dick began to struggle against the progressively strengthened hold on him, flailing like a crazed animal. A sense of numbness engulfed him as unconsciousness took over._

"When I came back to my senses, I was in his hideout." Dick recalled. "All I know about this 'experiment' is that he was trying to test what I could handle, something about the human spirit. He beat me, starved me, and even isolated me in an attempt to get a response. I was lucky to have gotten away when you found me. I think he was starting to get frustrated considering the collateral damage you see in front of you."

Dick let out an exhausted sigh. Just recalling the events was exhausting.

"What caused him to have the inclination to do this and why I happened to be his target, I couldn't tell you."

Just hearing his ordeal dampened the emotions in the room. Jason appeared uneasy, Damian's usual indifference seemed to let a small amount of emotion slip, and Bruce was petrified. Bruce got out of his seat and slide closer to Dick's bedside.

"I am so sorry." Bruce apologized, firmly placing a hand on Dick's shoulder.

A remorseful smile graced Dick's face. The last thing he wanted was to see Bruce ashamed about the current events.

"It's okay Bruce." Dick tried to comfort.

"No it's not. For an entire month, I failed you, and look what happened."

"But I'm alive. Isn't that what matters?"

Bruce couldn't bring himself to argue that point. The remark was there, but the will to argue with the acrobat wasn't. They stared at each other in silence for several moments, only being disturbed by Bruce's phone going off.

Pulling his phone out, Bruce begrudgingly looked at the message. An annoyed sigh escaped the vigilante.

"News really does travel fast." Bruce realized.

"What?" Dick asked.

"Gotham News is parked outside the manor and Commissioner Gordon's trying to fend them off as we speak. As much as I don't want to have to deal with this, I've got to go."

Dick let out an amused chuckle.

"Go." Dick cheerfully dismissed. "Alfred needs you. Not to mention, he's probably worried sick. Plus, somebody's got school tomorrow."

"I'm not a child." Damian snapped.

"Of course you're not."

A playful eye roll accompanied his response.

"Are you sure?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah. Do I look like I'm going anywhere anytime soon?" Dick laughed. "I'll still be here tomorrow, okay?"

Bruce nodded, motioning to Damian so that they could be on their way.

"But before you go." Dick inquired, stopping them at the door. Dick's demeanor shifted. "Nightwing's dead, isn't he?"

Jason looked at Dick, shock by his question, while Bruce went ominously stiff. He didn't immediately answer the question.

"For the time being, yes." Bruce replied. "It was taxing convincing everyone that Nightwing's absence was because he was neck deep investigating your disappearance. The last thing we need is for people to get suspicious."

"I understand. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Bruce nodded.

"Get some sleep." Bruce ordered before turning his attention to Jason. "I'm trusting you tonight Jason. Don't disappoint me."

"Don't need to tell me twice." Jason scoffed. "He's safe with me boss."

With the two of them in agreement, Bruce and Damian left them. With the older former Robins alone, they could finally have a conscious moment together.

"Thank you for saving me." Dick graciously remarked.

"No problem." Jason replied. "Who else am I going to torment?"

Dick couldn't help but be amused by his remark, knowing that it was Jason being Jason. His attention shifted to his blood stained jacket, as he lightly placed a hand on the dried stain.

"I ruined your favorite jacket."

"This jacket's seen worse, trust me. Nothing some bleach and detergent can't fix. You should have seen it the other day after me and Roy went to the bar. It needed several washes after that."

An amused smile plastered itself on Dick's face. Jason and Roy's antics were always fun to picture, at least when they weren't too spontaneous.

Dick's hand slide back down beside him, as he started to slump over from exhaustion. It didn't go unnoticed on Jason's part.

"Looks like it's someone's bedtime." He noted, adjusting the blanket over Dick. "You need it, unless you want to prolong your recovery."

"Yes mom." Dick pleasantly sighed.

It didn't take long for Dick to slip back into sleep. When he knew the acrobat was in a dead sleep, Jason was hit by a wave of angst. The thought of Dick's potential death filled him with dread. Wanting to secretly get some comfort, he lightly ran a hand in Dick's hair. _I'm glad you're back._ Jason admitted. Grabbing at the light switch above the bed, Jason let the room go dark.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce makes an announcement in regards to Dick's discovery and the "death" of Nightwing. Dick's living arrangement during his recovery gets discussed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mention this in the previous chapter, but the reason that Bruce is going the route that he is with Nightwing is because I figured he'd have a plan while Dick was missing.

The following morning, the bombshell that was Dick's discovery was all over the news. Watching Bruce speaking to the press was depressing, and it only got more morbid with every statement he made. How Dick was in good hands and was in for a long recovery. How Bruce was glad that his son had been found in time, and how Bruce demanded privacy during his recovery were all topics that Bruce listed off.

The worst, in Dick's mind, was when Bruce got around to the status of Nightwing. Bruce's deliver of his "demise" was cold. Bruce stated how, in an attempt to save Dick, Nightwing had taken a bullet that might have been intended for Dick. In Bruce's words, Nightwing was able to hand Dick off to a family friend, but succumbed to his injuries before anyone could come back for him.

A bitter sense of nostalgia took over Dick. Memories of the title of Robin being stripped from him came back to life. Even with the knowledge of Nightwing's fatal retirement only being a temporary solution, it still left an emotional sting in its wake.

With his rescue out of the way, the press attempted to pry more answers out of Bruce, specifically the legal matter of it all. They wanted to know Bruce's plan moving forward. Bruce lied about not knowing who had taken Dick, claiming that he knew Dick didn't have any enemies and that any of Bruce's had long since given up on using Dick as leverage. When questioned about it, Bruce denied wanting to investigate it without consulting Dick first, as he felt that Dick's recovery was his primary concern.

The television would go black. With what seemed like very little left to the interview, Jason had finally had enough of all the banter.

"You're being awfully quiet." Jason noted. "What are you thinking?"

"Bruce sure knows how to work a crowd, doesn't he?" Dick admitted. "You could almost hear the regret in his voice when he talked about Nightwing's demise."

"I suppose, but let's not forget he's had years to practice juggling the whole vigilante double life of his. Heck, it's not that big of a surprise that he's even managed to tie us all into his little web of lies."

"True, but it doesn't make it any less of a spectacle."

~

Two hour after the press conference, Bruce had returned to Dick's hospital room. With Damian still in school, it was the perfect opportunity to get some time with Dick to himself. Upon arriving, he was once again greeted by Jason and Dick.

"You're looking better." Bruce observed.

"Hey Bruce." Dick greeted with a smile.

Bruce shifted his attention to Jason for a moment, throwing Jason a backpack.

"I figured you could use a new set of clothes, so I stopped by your apartment to get you some."

"Thanks." Jason replied.

The two exchanged glares before Jason got the point, getting up and going into the bathroom to change. With Jason preoccupied, Bruce took Jason's spot on the edge of Dick's bed.

"How soon will Leslie discharge you?" Bruce inquired.

"She wants me to stay for a week." Dick replied. "Why?"

"You're coming back to the Gotham. Alfred's already making preparations for it."

Dick jolted up, shocked by Bruce's statement.

"What?! Why?"

Dick was immediately hit by the pain from his sudden movement, letting out a pained groan as his arms wrapped around his sides. In response to his discomfort, Bruce placed his hands on his shoulders and guided him back down.

"Look, Slade is still out there, and who knows what he's planning. Especially now that you've gotten away. Considering what he's done to you, I can't let you return to Bludhaven knowing that he could come back for you."

Still shook up by Bruce's previous declaration, Dick was shaking in frustration. It was one thing to agree to temporarily give up on being Nightwing, but now it felt like Bruce was trying to pull him back from the life he had made for himself.

"So, what, you want to lock me away?" Dick snapped.

"No," Bruce gasped, almost hurt by the accusation, "I don't want to lose you. Why would you think that?"

Bruce's grip slide down to Dick's upper arms tightened ever so slightly. The look on Bruce's face combined with his shift in tone, added guilt to Dick's choice of words. Realizing this, Dick knew he had to address it.

"I'm sorry." Dick apologized. "I guess I just feel like you're trying to control me. I may still subconsciously feel bitter about the handling behind you firing me all those years ago." Dick gave Bruce an apologetic stare. "You have a point, and I know this is just you being protective, but at the same time, I almost feel like you're trying to strip away my independence."

If Bruce was surprised by Dick's statement, he didn't show it. Rather, he shifted one hand to the top of Dick's head, brushing it through his hair.

"You know I would never do that, but as your father, I have to protect my children."

"I know."

There was a moment of silence, as unspoken apologies were forgiven.

"I leave for five minutes, and you've stolen my spot and come to a decision." Jason, now in a pair of dark jeans, white t-shirt and a black jacket, noted.

He brought himself over to the vacant side of Dick's bed.

"Though if you ask me, you shouldn't let him off the hook so easily."

"Of course you wouldn't." Bruce admitted, tension between the two returning.

"Considering he's my responsibility, I would have liked to have been included in this decision."

"Remember who his guardian is Jason."

"Oh, I do, but don't forget who found him. I've already told you that I'm already involved, so I'm here to stay, whether you like it or not. So Alfred better be ready for the both of us."

"Knock it off." Dick demanded, placing a hand on the both of them in an attempt to get between them. "Both of you. I may be bedridden, but that won't stop me from smacking some sense into the both of you."

Concerned that Dick would hurt himself carrying out that threat, Bruce and Jason stopped. The last thing either of them wanted was for Dick to cause any more physical distress to himself.

"Now Bruce," Dick began, "I agree to go along with your request, but you're going to have to accept that Jason's going to do as he pleases. And Jason, if I'm going to be 'your responsibility' as you so elegantly put it, you're going to have to deal with sharing a living arrangement with Bruce. I don't want either of you arguing the entire time, in my presence especially. If you want this to work out, those are my ground rules. You can go back to chewing each out other once this is all over. Got it?"

"Fair enough." Bruce accepted.

"Fine." Jason conceded.

Dick let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you. Now if you don't mind, I think someone wants to visit."

Everyone turned their attention to the doorway. Nervously clinging to the door was none other than Tim Drake.


	5. Chapter %

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Tim visiting, the effects of his experience from the previous night doesn't go unnoticed as he remembers the incident.

Even with Bruce leaving to get Damian and Jason departing to grab a bite to eat from the cafeteria, Tim still stood in the doorway. All he could bring himself to do was stare at Dick, observing the damage that had been done.

"Are you just going to stand there, or what?" Dick gently questioned, trying to break the ice. "You know I don't bite. Well, technically, I do, but you know what I mean."

Tim still didn't answered, shifting his attention to the ground. The gesture resulted in Dick becoming a little more concerned for the teen.

"Come in Timmy. It's okay."

Dick shifted over a little, patting a spot beside him for Tim to sit down at. Not wanting to refuse the invitation any longer, Tim finally stepped inside of the room. Slowly, he approached Dick's bedside, taking the seat that Dick offered. Tim still didn't utter a word.

"So how is Timmy doing?" Dick questioned.

If Tim had heard the question, he didn't show it. It was as though he was in a daze.

_Tim had received Jason's call just moments earlier. Thankfully, he had just finished up patrol and was able to be at the hospital in five minutes time. When Tim found the room, he was instantly greeted by an occupied room. Dick had been connected to the proper medical machinery and was unconscious. His blood stained clothes had been replaced with Leslie and the nurses had to wait a few minutes before being able to get him to an x-ray._

_"Dick!" Tim gasped, attempting to run over to him._

_"Hold up there tiger." Jason stopped, grabbing Tim by his arms._

_"Is he…?"_

_"He's stable. Threw us in for a loop there for a moment, but he's going to pull through. Leslie just needs to get him in for an x-ray."_

_Tim gazed back at Dick. Some blood had made its way through the bandages, and showed signs that it was drying._

_Leslie would get a page, notifying her that the first of several x-ray machines was available._

_"Let's get him moving." Leslie ordered._

_As the nurses started to prepare to move the bed out, Dick would hazily regain consciousness. He could barely see anything as faces were nothing more than a shadowy blur, with one of those figures adjusting his IV bag._

_"Get off of me!" Dick panicked, staring to lash out. "Get away!"_

_The nurses attempted to restrain Dick as ripped his IV line out. He was able to easily push the nurses aside as he made an attempt to bolt out of bed. Dick would let out a scream of pain, having unintentionally tore a stitch open. Neither that nor the now active blood loss stopped him from continuing his escape._

_Jason let go of Tim and bolted over to Dick. Putting just enough force not to hurt him, Jason slammed the eldest Robin back down. He was soon pinning Dick down, hoping to reason with him. All the while one of the nurses prepped a sedative._

_"Get off of me!" Dick continued to scream._

_In a panic, Dick tried to knee Jason. When it made contact with Jason's stomach, he didn't appeared fazed, knowing that Dick wasn't intentionally trying to hurt him._

_"Dick! It's me!" Jason yelled._

_Dick froze, trying to take in his words. Taking the opportunity, one of the nurses administered the sedative. His vison was able to focus enough to see who was restraining him._

_"Jason?" Dick inquired._

_"Yes."_

_Dick wouldn't be able to continue, as the sedative finally knocked him out. Jason would get off of the bed, allowing the nurses to fix the stitch he broke. Once it was cleaned and adjusted the nurses were finally able to take Dick to get his x-ray._

_"Thank you." Leslie whispered before following after them._

_With the room cleared, Jason's attention was soon shifted to Tim, who was in a state of shock. Jason immediately went to tend to Tim's response._

"Earth to Tim." Dick called, snapping Tim out of his train of thought. "Are you okay?"

Tim only gave him a neutral expression, but that didn't stop him from noting Dick's concern. He took in how Dick was physically fairing, noticing how Dick looked almost normal behind all of the bandages. That didn't stop the anxiety from the other night from attacking him, and he knew he couldn't keep that away from Dick forever.

"You looked so defenseless." Tim finally admitted. "You were bloody and broken, and when you freaked out before your x-ray, I was overwhelmed."

Tim took a moment of silence, piecing together what he wanted to say next. A nervous chill started to take effect, resulting in Tim starting to shake.

"Dick, I was scared. Seeing you, someone I fondly look up to, so weak, was too much."

An understanding grin would take a liking to Dick's face. Well aware of how much of an influence he had on his successors, he wasn't surprised that Tim held him to such a high standard. Dick could see how he could be preceded as invincible to his peers at times, but at the end of the day, he was still human.

Making another rebellious attempt to move, Dick slowly sat up again. He reached out for Tim, pulling the twitching teen closer.

"Stop." Tim weakly sighed. "You shouldn't be moving."

"Like that's going to stop me from hugging you." Dick replied.

As much as he would have preferred to avoid physical contact, Tim chose to accept Dick's embrace. His shaking didn't want to stop, but the emotions still refused to show themselves.

"It's okay." Dick reassured. "Everything's going to be okay."

Just hearing Dick say that caused a few tears to finally escape. Hearing that alleviated some of Tim's worries, and for the time being, that was all he needed. Dick didn't keep the embrace for long, knowing that Tim wasn't one who enjoyed a lot of physical contact. He allowed Tim to return to his original position, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

"Better?" Dick inquired.

"I think so." Tim sighed.

"You're just looking for trouble now." Jason's voice observed.

A hand took the opportunity to place itself on Dick's face and shove him back down. Jason stole a chair next to him.

"Oh come on, he needed it." Dick chuckled.

"Yeah, and what if you popped another stitch? Do you think he would need that? Leslie doesn't want you moving for at least another day or two."

"And since when have you ever followed the rules?"

"Touché."

"Give him a break." Tim defended, lightly jabbing Dick's arm. "He's just wants to keep you safe."

"I know, but he doesn't have to be such an ornery nag about it."

A hand would lightly smack Dick on the forehead.

"If I'm a nag than what does that make you?"

"An adorable nuisance, duh."

The sound of laughter echoed through the room, as brotherly bickering continued.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian chips in his two cents about the situation and Dick gets a surprise visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a heads up Dick will be referred by his full name in this chapter. I added Wayne since, while he may not use it, Dick was technically was adopted by Bruce at one point in the comics (Gotham Knights had the paperwork).

"It was really stupid on your part Grayson." Damian admitted.

Lounging in the chair beside his elder, his legs draped over one of the arms, Damian was giving what he felt was a long overdue lecture. Everyone else got their turn, and now it was finally his. Damian didn't show much interest as he studied his hands, while Dick was finally sitting up, using Jason's arm as his support.

"You said that when I jumped into that crowd of people and twisted my ankle while chasing the Riddler a few months back." Dick pointed out.

"Yeah, but this wasn't your garden variety stupidity. This isn't even 'letting Jason take the Batmobile for a joyride' stupid. This incident requires a new kind of category. "

"At least I didn't blow up one of his fancy toys." Jason rebuked.

"Do you really want to go there Todd?"

"Would you rather I talk about the cow you haven't turned into a Batsteak yet?"

"Alright, that's enough you guys." Dick intervened. "Stupid or not, choices have been made, and you're not cooking Batcow."

An elbow would lightly jab Dick's side in sarcastic annoyance. Dick let out a playful chuckle before the room would take a temporary silence.

"So, how has patrol been the last few nights?" Dick inquired, changing the subject.

Damian continued to gaze at his hands, fingers twiddling as though he didn't quite hear the question. While he would have liked a response, Dick didn't show any signs of concern or annoyance, because unlike Tim, Damian would be a little more straight forward about a topic at times. He knew well enough that Damian would respond to him on his own terms, but whether or not Damian would tell the whole truth was another story.

"Nothing too out of the ordinary." Damian stated. "Caught Scarecrow and Penguin. Other than that, father's been neck deep trying to find out Deathstroke's whereabouts."

"Find anything of value?"

"No. It doesn't appear like he's had any contracts as far as we know. None of Arkham's residents seemed to know anything about his whereabouts either. It was a bit of a stretch going to his ex-wife, especially since she threw a plate at father at the mere mention of Slade's name. It needed to be investigated, but needless to say she didn't know anything."

An entertained laugh from Jason interrupted Damian's briefing. The thought of Bruce getting hit with a plate was a humored blessing to him, in which, he could picture a ceramic plate smacking the big bat in the face, without even flinching.

"Anyways," Damian continued, "we haven't been able to find any of his kids and the only person who have an idea where his base is, is you. However, as Doctor Leslie has kindly informed father, as a result of you having a concussion, the memory of where you escaped from probably won't be available any time soon."

"I can attest to that statement, or else I would have told you by now." Dick assumed. "I can only recall the interior.

"Which only provides so much."

"Richard John Grayson-Wayne!" A voice interrupted. "How dare you make an old man worry."

Barging into the hospital room was Alfred, a look of angered anxiety plastered on his face. Not far behind was Bruce, too tired to protest the butler's outburst. Alfred studied Dick, getting a good look at the man's injuries for himself. Dick couldn't resist the slight embarrassment by the inspection, but chose not to stop Alfred from studying the damage. He had been gone for a month and so long as it helped put Alfred's mind at ease, Dick chose to endure the discomfort.

"Look what he's done to you."

"It's okay." Dick attempted to alleviate. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"No it's not. You could have died."

Dick managed to stand himself up and went to hug his elder. He stumbled slightly, almost knocking Alfred down. Everyone bolted up in shock, Jason ready to grab him at any moment. When neither of Alfred and Dick tumbled, no one moved, allowing Dick to do what he got up for. Alfred's hand gently patted Dick's back, letting him know to let go. Upon releasing Alfred, Jason help Dick back down on the bed to prevent any more unintentional surprises.

"I'm sorry." Dick apologized, gazing at his lap ashamed.

"It's okay lad." Alfred forgave. "I may be use to your various displays of affection, but sometimes I forget just how big you boys are."

A relieved smile greeted Alfred as Dick looked back up at his elder, which resulted in Alfred returning one. It was nice seeing Dick retaining at least some of his cheeriness and that was all Alfred needed.

"Leslie just gave him the okay to move around just this morning." Jason explained. "He's still got to get used to being on his feet. He has to take it slow, especially with a sprained ankle. Leslie said he's really only allowed to move around this room and maybe hitting the shower if he's got the strength to, which if you ask me, he could really use one."

"I don't smell that bad." Dick scoffed.

Dick took a whiff of his shirt. Sweat and the sanitized fumes of the hospital plagued his nose for a brief moment. He wasn't all that fazed by the smell, but he didn't want to argue the statement either.

"Either way, I am just glad that Master Richard has come back to us." Alfred admitted. "And I want to thank you for taking such great care of him Master Jason."

"What can I say?" Jason mused. "I was at the right place at the right time."

"Indeed. I just wish there was something I could do to assist you."

"Once we get settled at the manor there will be plenty of time for that."

"We?"

"Didn't Bruce tell you? I will be tagging along for the recovery once Golden Boy here's been discharged."

A disapproving glare shot itself at Bruce, who didn't vocally confirm or deny Jason's statement. The topic of Bruce's evasiveness would be discussed once they were away from the kids, that much was certain.

"I'm afraid he left that little tidbit out."

A puzzled grin came to Jason as his attention bounced to Bruce than back to Alfred. It wasn't a surprise, but he had still hoped that Bruce would have said something.

"Of course he would."

"Not to worry. Your room hasn't been touched in ages, so there's no need to spruce it up too much. I also have yet to finish my errands for Master Richard's arrival, so I will gather whatever you require while I finish up. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe we have livestock in the cave that needs feeding. I shall return shortly."

Alfred dismissed himself, leaving Bruce with three of his kids. As Bruce snuck his way closer to the other side of Dick, two curious stares and one suspicious glare targeted Bruce.

"You still don't trust me, do you?" Jason inquired.

"I still haven't completely come to terms with our little agreement to be honest." Bruce admitted.

"And yet you agreed with it."

"For Dick's sake, yes, but it's going to take time."

"If it makes you feel any better, I approve." Damian chimed in.

Everyone's attention fell on Damian, who hadn't even shifted his position since Alfred and Bruce's arrival.

"Really?" Bruce questioned. "You are perfectly fine with all of this?"

"Of course father. It's been lonely since Grayson's abduction and it's not like you or Todd are going to let Grayson out of your sights any time soon. Plus I'd love to see how long I can test Todd's patience and I could use a sparring partner while Grayson's recuperating."

A sigh escaped Bruce. While Damian's seal of approval helped to an extent, his and Jason's past was still an issue that they both still have to deal with. It would still be a challenge to move forward with the truce, but it would have to be done for Dick's sake.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Dick requests that the others leave the room in order to get something to eat, Bruce, Jason, Tim, and Damian discuss some of the issues surrounding Dick's response to the ordeal.

For the first time since Dick had been hospitalized, all three of his successors had managed to squeeze into the room. Tim had finally returned for another visit, a few days after his last, wanting to check on Dick's progress. To give Dick some peace of mind, Bruce demanded a temporary truce between Tim and Damian to be issued.

Considering their animosity towards each other, everyone knew it had to be done. However, no one expected Damian and Tim to agree to it as easily as they did. They had both agreed that not stressing Dick any further, either physically or mentally, was more beneficial to his recovery. Though for a precaution, they had stationed themselves on opposite sides of the bed with Jason, who still claimed a spot on said furniture, acting as the middle man.

Dick was in high spirits, his usually cheerful glow lighting up the conversations. No one bothered bringing up Deathtroke or the sparse knowledge of his where he could be located. Dick refused to inquire about it, not even acknowledge it. He was glad that to have the company, without the bickering. Their visit would be interrupted by several growling stomachs. The loudest not surprisingly coming from Tim.

"Hungry?" Dick humorously inquired. "Or are you trying to conduct a gastric symphony?"

"It's nothing." Tim lied, only to be disproven by his empty organ.

"Guys, I don't want you to go hungry."

"We're not." Bruce denied.

"Not in the slightest." Jason concurred.

Both of their statements were shot as groans simultaneously sounded off. Even though he was amused by their body's trickery, a small wave of guilt brushed against him.

"Eat." Dick ordered. "The cafeteria is only a few floors down."

"We're not leaving you alone." Jason argued.

"And I refuse to let you starve."

With Jason's argument at a standstill, the others gave their broken elder some form of silent protest. Damian had a pout. Tim gave off a concerned aura, while Jason processed his next response. Their strongest case was Bruce, who was giving Dick one of his signature glares. Not even that seemed to faze Dick.

"I'm not going anywhere." Dick assured. "I got my walk in this morning while Jason tried to drag me along for a cigarette. Much to the dismay of the nurses I might add."

Bruce shot Jason a disapproving glare, who responded with an indifferent eye roll.

"We didn't even make it to the elevator." Jason bitterly added. "Not to mention Leslie confiscated my only pack."

A pleading gaze made its way to Bruce. Sapphire eyes engaging with a purpose.

"Please, do it for me." Dick begged. "Fifteen minutes, that's all I'm asking for. That should be short enough."

"Oh alright." Bruce conceded.

~

"I can't believe you fell for those puppy eyes … again." Jason lectured, as they all took a seat in the cafeteria.

"I can't believe he still has it." Tim admitted.

"Considering it got him a ride on an elephant at age five, it's not surprising." Bruce recalled, taking a sip of coffee.

Damian, Jason, and Tim shot Bruce a confused glare.

"What? He grew up in a circus."

There was a break in the conversation allowing them to eat a little.

"He's too happy." Tim deduced.

"What do you mean?" Bruce inquired.

"The entire time he's been here, not once has he appeared fazed by his abduction. Sure, he's has his ups and downs according to our emotional input, but he hasn't shown any concern for his own life."

"I got to agree with Tim on this one." Jason added. "He's always been the most upbeat of the four of us at least at face value, but this amount of blind ignorance can't be healthy."

"It's annoying." Damian admitted.

There wasn't much of an initial response from Bruce, taking another sip of the dark beverage.

"Can you blame him?" Bruce started. "I've spent years trying to preserve what was left of his innocence while training him to be the best that he can be. That's not to say that he hasn't had his moments of emotional tension. Let's not forget that you were caught in the middle of our falling out Jason."

A slight nod came from Jason, recalling at least one of several instances of Dick and Bruce arguing. Some arguments were a necessary debate, while others were out of sheer emotion.

"He doesn't always have the best coping method, I'll admit, which is something I wish I had invested more time into. However, at the end of the day he's my success. There are times when I'm not entirely fond of admitting it, as I feel like I've failed you in a lot of the same areas, but it's true. And now, he's sitting in front of me battered and broken, still trying to act like everything's alright. I feel like I've let him down."

"Than do something." Jason demanded.

"I am. While you're here watching Dick, I'm out there trying to find Slade."

"From what I've heard, you haven't had much luck in that venture."

"When has that ever stopped me before? I won't stop until I find him."

~

Fifteen minutes, just like Dick had negotiated. That was how long it took for them to return to Dick's floor. With everyone's concerns and Bruce's confession out of the way, they were more relaxed.

Their calm was short lived once they made their way inside Dick's room. Dick was stiff, petrified eyes focused on the wall across from him, refusing to acknowledge their presence. Hands tangled themselves beside him, craving the attention of the blanket covering him, while his head appeared to sink into the pillow.

"Dick?" Bruce greeted.

No response. Not even a single movement.

"Dick!" Jason called. "Are you okay?"

One hand attempted to gently comfort his throat while the other wrapped itself around him as he slowly sat up. All the while, his body subconsciously curled up. His breathe steadily increased in speed, reaching the point of hyperventilation. It didn't take long for them to figure out what was going on. A panic attack.

Bruce was at his side instantaneously, unintentionally shoving Jason aside in the process. Hands would clamp onto both sides of Dick's face, in an attempt to get Dick to focus on him. All the while, Damian had refused to allow any of the nurses to enter the room, claiming that the situation was being handled, while Jason made sure Tim stayed calm.

"Dick." Bruce attempted to reach out. "I need you to calm down."

Dick was still unresponsive, unable to comprehend what was going on. His breathing showed no sign of slowing. His eyes still latched onto Bruce, even though they weren't showing signs that they were focusing.

"Listen to me." Bruce firmly ordered. "You need to calm down and breathe. You're having a panic attack."

Something in Dick shifted. His eyes adjusted, finally realizing that Bruce was in front of him, Dick's breathing started to pace itself. Bruce's hands moved to his upper arms before pulling Dick in close, burying Dick's head in his chest. All eyes were on Dick, whose breathing finally evened out.

"What happened?" Bruce calmly inquired, running a hand through the boy's onyx hair.

"Slade." Dick whispered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What really happened while Bruce, Jason, Tim, and Damian left Dick's hospital room.

The room was a lot quieter with the family out of the room. Dick knew he's be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. Having been crammed in a room full of people was starting to get a bit claustrophobic. It was nice to have the room all to himself for once.

Taking advantage of the silence, Dick took a moment to rest his eyes. It wasn't for long, as one of the nurses brought him his dose of pain medication. Pleasantly greeting her, he took down the required tablets. His attention turned to the wall in front of him as the nurse left, taking a moment to take in the silence as he tried to relax.

"Seven minutes." Dick counted. "Are you really so concerned that you barely missed the half way mark of the agreed time?"

"More like I needed seven minutes to make sure you weren't preoccupied." The voice admitted.

Dick's attention snapped, whipping his head in the direction of the door. Knowing that it wasn't Bruce's stern tone talking back disturbed him, especially since he immediately recognized the voice, frightened him. Nonchalantly standing in the doorway was Slade Wilson. Dick started to sit up as the mercenary closed the door behind him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Slade inquired, approaching Dick's bedside.

"Get out of here." Dick ordered.

"And miss an observation on the current state of my experiment's recovery? I don't think so."

Slade took a seat in the chair beside him, and before he even had a chance to escape, Slade pushed Dick back down. Dick forced himself to accept his predicament as his attention away from him.

"You're recovering well."

Dick refused to acknowledge his observation, not even showing a sign that he was listening. He kept his sight set on the window.

"You know, it's rude to ignore company."

A hand gripped the bottom of Dick's face and forced Dick to look directly act him. Sapphire eyes clashed with an eyepatch and the man's only functioning blue eye. Any attempt to disengage from his grip failed, but it didn't stop Dick from trying.

"Let me go." Dick demanded, trying to keep his composure.

"I don't think so. I need you're undivided attention Richard."

"I'm not going to let you take me."

"All in due time Richard. You and I both know you're in no condition to stop me, but that's not what brings me here today."

"Then why are you here? We both know this isn't a spontaneous checkup. You want something."

Slade let a smirk escape at the observation, mentally applauding Dick's to the point attitude, as he shifted his seating arrangement to the side of the bed. All the while keeping a hold on the youth, making sure that eye contact was kept.

"Of course I do. Let's just say, I've had a breakthrough in our little game."

"I'm not interested."

Dick attempted to break away from his grip again, only for it to tighten.

"Physical trauma doesn't seem to work on you like I wanted it to. Given your history, I can't say that I'm all that surprised. It was worth testing since I question just how much a certain bat has put you through all those years ago. With that in mind, I've decided emotional stimuli will be implemented."

Dick's eyes expressed indifference, not wanting to provide any insight. Indulging Slade's statement was a gift he didn't want to give.

"You're a lot like my sons. You have Joey's morality and innocence, but Grant's determination."

"And look where that's got them. Dead or presumed otherwise."

No sign of anger or offense took the initiative in response to Dick's comment, Slade robotically released Dick. A harsh jab would implant itself on the still recovering right ribcage. Dick hunched forward in pain in response to the gesture. Slade leaned in closer, conspiring a plan barely above a whisper.

"Here's the difference. While they have suffered because of my life choices, regardless of whether it was intentional or not, in that moment, they had nothing. You on the other hand, you've got everything to lose. Leverage is a wonderful thing, especially when family is concerned."

Dick didn't respond, still trembling from the physical discomfort. The close proximity of them both didn't help either, as a wave of discomfort collided with him with every word Slade spoke. He wasn't entirely sure what Slade was implying, but he knew he didn't like the implication.

"Here's the best part of this little change. When all is said and done, I won't have to abduct you. You will come back to me of your own accord."

"That is not going to happen." Dick growled.

"You say that now, but in time, you'll see."

Slade stood up, preparing to make his departure.

"I will be monitoring you from a distance. When the time comes, and after some emotional manipulation, this test will resume."

Slade brought himself to the door, only to stop once his hand made contact with the handle. His attention focused on the door.

"You must be wondering why I'm doing this. While I won't tell you everything, here's what I've decided to share. What I want requires a degree of abuse. I will break you, regardless of how much you try to fight back. Before I go, I want to leave you with a little thought."

Slade shifted his attention to Dick. Calm secrecy met agitated curiosity.

"How much are you willing to sacrifice before you come back? Or better yet, who?"

Silent horror began to surface at Slade's subtle threat.

"You'll have a lot of choices to make Richard. Remote punishment will be supplied as I see fit, but how many people will be involved is up to you. I will make sure your spirit will crack, and once you have returned, you will see just how much I can make people suffer to get what I want."

The door clicked, as Slade twisted the handle. Opening the door, Slade decided to leave one last notion.

"Rest up Richard. You need it to combat what I have in store for you."

A sinister grin embraced Slade as he showed himself out of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not feeling like the hospital is the safest place for Dick, Bruce demands he be discharged as soon as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got two little things I'd like to address. First of all, Tim is living on his own. You'll see what I mean in the chapter. When I had originally written up to this point I had not thought about Tim's living arrangements since I didn't necessarily place this in the Pre-Flashpoint, New 52, or Rebirth timeline (it is a bit of an AU after all). On the one hand, I didn't know if he'd live with his parents since they were dead Pre-Flashpoint but they were alive in the New 52 (Batman and Robin Eternal had them in it) and are currently unknown in Rebirth. At the same time, I was familiar with Bruce having guardianship over Tim (again since his parents were dead at one point). However, even though this will have one element that was introduced in the New 52 and something Pre-Flashpoint I've decided that for the sake of this story that he is living on his own (more than likely with the Titans). 
> 
> The other is that I'd like to give a shout out to everyone who has read this so far and everyone who's bookmarked, commented, and/or following this story. I know I haven't replied to any of the comments or anything, but I wanted to let you guys know that I do appreciate it.

"I can't just discharge Dick, he still needs a few days to recover." Leslie argued.

An angry Bruce was the thing that she expected to see barging into her office. While she was accustom to his outbursts, she was a little wary of the situation she found herself in, even with her desk wedged between them. The fact that Bruce had proclaimed that Dick had been emotionally compromised was a concern that they both shared. However, the fact that Bruce wanted to yank Dick away from the care he needed was something she wasn't going to take lightly.

"He's not safe." Bruce stated. "Your staff allowed that monster waltz right in and terrorized my son. I am taking him home."

"Don't blame them for something they have no knowledge of. It's not like you want me publicizing this whole situation. What would you have wanted me to say to them? 'Hey, if you happen to see a one eyed veteran, don't let him visit Dick?' You and I both know that wouldn't go over well."

Leslie shuffled around the desk, wanting to get closer to the son of her colleague and close friend. With crossed arms, she attempted to continue making her case.

"I know you're concerned for him Bruce, I am too, but I can't just send him home while he's getting the necessary treatment. We just got him walking yesterday and that's with his sprain in the equation."

"I know, but I can't take any more chances. He's been through enough already."

"You're paranoid."

"No, I just know what I'm dealing with. Slade may have told Dick that he wasn't going to take him, but who's to say the moment he gets discharged something won't happen. Not to mention the unwilling staff that he may use. I can't take that risk, not with Dick involved."

Leslie set her glasses on the desk. Pinching the bridge of her nose out of annoyance, she knew she wasn't going to get much farther. Bruce was a lot more persistent when compared to his father. A trait that she found admirable but infuriating at times like this. It didn't help that the patient in question was the one child that Bruce had the best bond with.

"Tomorrow." Leslie sighed in defeat. "If you're going to be so adamant about discharging Dick, I'm going to have to request that he stays for the night. However, I highly recommend that you keep him under supervision as well as keeping up with what we've been doing with him."

"I can do that."

~

Finally getting the answer he wanted, Bruce strode back to the room. It hadn't entirely gone the way that he planned, but it was what had to be done. Knowing that he would have to adjust a few things in order to accommodate for Leslie's directions was something that he was more than willingly fulfill. So long as he could protect Dick and limiting the unforeseen chaos was all that mattered.

Upon entering, he could feel the change in the air. Dick had managed to calm down and was enjoying the company of his brothers. Tim and Damian hadn't killed each other while Jason took the opportunity to share one of his many mischievous adventures. Dick couldn't help but laugh at it while still pitching in some brotherly concern.

The news of Dick's early discharge was taken pretty well. While Jason openly voiced his concern for the change, considering that Dick only had three days left, Dick admitted that he understood the decision. With their thoughts brought up, an invitation for Tim to join them would be enacted. He would gladly take up the offer, wanting to be there for Dick.

Annoyance could be seen on Damian's face. Having already vouched for Jason already, he wasn't prepared for a full house. This time it was Bruce who spoke on behalf of Tim, as he believed that they should all be there for him. However, Dick was able to talk him into going along with it, not only because of the fact that he wanted all three of them there, but because Dick hoped that they could potentially start truly getting along.

~

Jason would plant himself on the chair beside Dick, like he had every night. Since Dick was asleep, the room had gotten awfully boring. With everything that had happened earlier, Jason couldn't bring himself to sleep. As paranoid as he knew it sounded, he was worried that Dick would disappear the moment he closed his eyes.

"You need to sleep Jason." A voice stated, breaking Jason's train of thought.

A semiconscious Dick was wearily looking at Jason, concern managing to make itself known.

"You're exhausted, and I know you haven't been getting the best sleep the last few nights."

"But…" Jason began.

"I'm not going anywhere. Slade's not going to take me. I can't let you sacrifice your health because of what happened."

Pleading eyes pierced Jason. Jason wanted to argue with him, but he didn't have the motivation or the patience to. Considering that Dick wasn't going to back, Jason knew it wouldn't be worth it even if he had the energy to.

"Move over."

Dick gave him a slightly confused look, wondering why Jason was making such a request.

"If you want me to sleep, we're doing this my way. Besides, do you know how uncomfortable this chair is?"

Dick slowly scooted over, progressively making room. Taking the offer, Jason got on the bed, gently nudging Dick over to make more room. Laying on his side, Jason kept his attention set on Dick, who had shifted on to his side as well.

"Comfortable?" Dick inquired.

"It's not much of a step up, but it works." Jason sighed.

"Good. Now get some sleep."

Dick closed his eyes, ready to go back sleep. Unfortunately, Jason wasn't quite following suit. Several thoughts still plagued him. Thoughts of what he should do, what he would do during the whole ordeal, and how they would handle Slade were all notions that bothered him.

"Sleep." Dick tiredly ordered, not even bothering to open his eyes.

"Got too much on my mind." Jason admitted.

"Relax. Why don't we can discuss it in the morning, when we actually have the liveliness to do so?"

"Oh, alright."

Feeling physically deflated, Jason finally admitted defeat. He managed to force himself to relax, physically and mentally, embracing the welcoming darkness of slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick is discharged from the hospital and Bruce lays out a plan for his stay. Jason resurfaces an offer just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics = Flashback

The doors of Wayne Manor had opened, greeting five not quite as relaxed figures. With his foot securely placed in a snug ankle brace and a clean set of clothes, Dick slowly limped beside the others. They were immediately greeted by a black Great Dane who almost knocking Damian over in excitement. Giving Titus the proper attention, Damian managed to get the energetic dog off of him. Titus would remain beside Damian as Alfred instantly made himself known. This time around, Dick gave the butler a more stable hug, which Alfred didn't mind.

Upon release, Alfred began to give them all a rundown of the updates. Everyone's rooms appeared clean and untouched, almost as though they had never left, while the kitchen had been stocked with each of the boys' spontaneous cravings. All the while, Bruce vocally listed off a routine that would mix Leslie's prerequisites and his own itinerary.

The medication would be taken as prescribed and he would be accompanied by someone while taking Leslie's recommended amount of walking for the next few days, in the even he collapsed. Dick would be allowed into the Batcave, but was prohibited from training with the others. It had been decided that once Dick's ankle had gotten a few more days of recovery that Alfred and Bruce would help keep it's functionality by providing the correct exercises. Dick would get time to himself sporadically throughout the day, depending on what was going on that day, along with the time he'd get at night. However, he wouldn't be allowed to leave the house without someone going him. Bruce didn't want to limit what Dick could do too much, but he did want to make sure that he was, for the most part, supervised.

Dick would eventually come to a stop as the others pedaled on. His ceased motion wouldn't go completely unnoticed, as Jason soon joined him.

"You okay?" Jason inquired, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, I just need a moment. My ankle is getting soar." Dick admitted, leaning against the wall, raising his foot just enough to relieve the tender area.

Jason pulled over a conveniently placed chair and offered it to Dick, who gladly accepted it. A relieved sigh escaped as Dick plopped on the chair.

"They really prepared for this, didn't they?"

"Oh yeah." Dick humorously admitted. "Remind me not to break any more bones for a while, or else Bruce just might condemn me to solitary confinement indefinitely."

Jason couldn't help but chuckle at Dick's attempt at dry humor. He would then return to a more neutral state of concern.

"Anything else bothering you?"

"Not really. Just processing the current state of this living arrangement. With how Bruce has it handled, it's going to take some adjusting to."

"I'm with you there. My offer still stands if you're having second thoughts."

_"You sure you're up for this?" Jason questioned, watching as Dick finished up the discharge papers. "My apartment isn't that far away and my rules won't be so strict."_

_With Bruce, Damian, and Tim waiting outside in the car, Jason took the initiative to do his own evaluation._

_"Yes Jason, I'm sure." Dick replied, not looking up from the paperwork. "I've already agreed to this arrangement, so I'm not going back out on it now. Besides, you and I both know Bruce wouldn't let me back down now either, even if I did change my mind."_

_Handing the nurse the completed paperwork, she left them to get it finalize it. That left both men to give each other their full attention._

_"That may be. However, just like Bruce had a hard time accepting your little agreement, I'm having a hard time trusting that he'll be able to guarantee that you're completely safe."_

_"I'm well aware. Let's not forget I'm not the only one who orchestrated this whole thing. Both you and Bruce begrudgingly agreed to this. I had to make a compromise and I'm following through with it, hoping that you both can get some sort of ease."_

_Dick stood up, lightly applying weight to his ankle._

_"I just want to get through this as smoothly as possible. How smoothly this arrangement goes depends on all of us, and I don't want to create any more tension from it. Can we just leave it as that?"_

_"No promises."_

_They were soon joined by Leslie, who was professional as always._

_"Alright, you're free to go." She cleared. "Remember, your pain medication is supposed to be taken in the morning. However, if you were to get it by noon, due to forgetting to take it or otherwise, that will be fine. Ibuprofen is only to be taken if you feel any discomfort throughout the day. I do expect you to take it easy for the next few days. You understand?"_

_"I do." Dick cheerfully promised. "Don't worry, you have my word."_

_Nodding in approval, Leslie's attention would soon shift to Jason, not wanting to let him get away without a lecture._

_"And Jason, I expect you to keep an eye on our little acrobat here. Bruce is already in aggressively protective dad mode, so please don't ruffle his feathers any more than they already are."_

_"Kill joy." Jason complained, to which Leslie responded with an unamused glare. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of our Golden Boy here. I'm not making any promises in regards to the Bruce issue though."_

_Knowing that that was the best Jason would offer, Leslie chose not to debate it. Showing them out of the room, she bid them an anxious farewell._

"Of course it does." Dick unsurprisingly observed. "I'm still not taking you up on it."

"I thought as much. In that case, you're just going to have to suffer through this just like the rest of us. Though technically speaking, your punishment is going to be worse."

The sound of Damian calling out to them interrupted their reminiscent conversation. With Titus proudly standing by his side, Damian impatiently declared that lunch was ready. An annoyed sigh left Jason, while Dick let out a semi amused smirk. Offering a hand, Jason helped pull Dick to his feet. Nudging his elder forward, Jason allowed Dick to lead the way.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three instances where Bruce and/or Jason take care of several of Dick's ailments.

Sounds of spontaneous vomiting could be heard from the restroom of Dick's room. Waking up feeling cold and even weaker that before was the last thing anybody had expected or wanted. Sprawled out on the floor, Jason gently reassured his sickly elder. What was intended to be a prescribed morning walk took a turn for the worst when Dick started to complain about lightheadedness and nauseous. It was a miracle that Dick hadn't thrown up on the floor, himself, or even Jason. They had been huddled in the tiled room for about half an hour only to yield minimal progress.

It wouldn't be long before footsteps could be heard coming into the room. Making his way through the room, Bruce would soon be covering the empty space of the doorway. Any sign of curiosity fled, immediately being replaced by pity. The sight of Dick trembling in front of the toilet looked nothing short of miserable.

"Looks like Dick's coming down with a slight fever." Jason diagnosed. "I was about to get him moving around a bit before bringing him down for breakfast, when he stumbled towards the bathroom. As you can see, we haven't left since."

A dried gagging noise escaped Dick, attempting to see if he was really done. A hand circled on his back as Jason attempted to comfort him. Dick didn't show much of any sign that he registered the gesture, nor did he seem to acknowledge the two guests. All he could do was tremble.

"Keeping him on the cold floor isn't going to help him." Bruce deduced, working his way towards them both.

"It will if he has the urge to vomit again." Jason pointed out, as Bruce kneeled beside them.

"We'll handle that when the time comes."

Bruce gently took over, slowly guiding the sick youth towards him. One arm wrapped around Dick's shoulders while the other holding his legs.

"I'm going to move you." Bruce whispered.

Dick weakly shook his head, as if wanting to protest.

"Don't feel good." Dick admitted. "Lightheaded."

"I know, but you'll be a lot more comfortable in your bed."

Bruce slowly got back on his feet, making sure not to induce any nausea or lightheadedness in the process.

"Jason, I'll need the spare wastebasket from the closet, the thermometer, and a damp cloth."

Jason didn't show any signs that he confirmed the request, rather he made his way around Bruce and exited the room. Bruce would soon follow, taking each step with caution. Entering the bedroom, he was greeted by a slightly concerned Alfred.

"Fever." Bruce clarified.

Alfred nodded, watching as Bruce continued on his trek towards the bed. Bruce shifted Dick's barely conscious body onto the bed, covering the acrobat. Brushing the sweat stained hair aside, Bruce exposed the exhausted eyes underneath. Even with the comforter covering him, Dick was still shivering.

It wouldn't be long before Jason would return with the requested items. The wastebasket would be placed close enough for Dick to reach. While Bruce dealt with getting a temperature, Jason doused the rag in water, wringing the water out once he got it got wet enough. Upon reentry, Dick's temperature had been noted: one hundred and three degrees. Jason didn't bother asking as he placed the rag on Dick's forehead.

"Thank you." Bruce whispered, only to receive a nod in return.

"Can I provide any assistance?" Alfred inquired.

Looking back at Dick, who had slipped into a relaxed coma without them really noticing. An amused smirk escaped Bruce.

"No. Let's just let him rest." Bruce replied, making his way for the door. "We can check on him in about a half hour. For now, we've got three other kids that we should attend to."

~

Craving a late night snack, Jason ripped the fridge door open. The glow from the chilly interior didn't faze him as he searched. While there was variety, he wasn't entirely sure what to grab.

"Care to hand me the ice cream?" Dick asked, carefully seated at the table.

"You sure about that?" Jason responded, glaring back at him amused, not even questioning how Dick got there as silently as he did. "You're fever just broke this morning."

"I know, but I'm hungry and I'm craving some vanilla ice cream."

Closing the fridge, Jason grabbed the item in question from the freezer. He grabbed two spoons and went to grab a couple of bowls.

"No bowls," Dick ordered, "just the spoons and the carton."

An annoyed eye roll roamed freely on Jason's face, as he closed the cabinet.

"How aren't you fat yet?" Jason gruffly inquired, taking a seat while placing the half gallon in the middle of the table.

"I'm an acrobat and as such, I have a hard time standing still. When I'm not fighting crime, I've got a gym dedicated to it two blocks away that I visit two or three times a week."

"Which you won't be seeing for the next few weeks."

"True, but that's why you're here. Besides, you're preventing me from eating the whole thing by joining me."

They both took a moment to indulge themselves with their snack before beginning another conversation.

"So, where is everyone?" Dick inquired.

"Bruce and the demon spawn are out on their usual patrol while Tim's trying to locate and monitor your biggest fan." Jason jotted down. "I believe Alfred is tending to the cow."

A chuckle got away from Dick. The thought of Alfred feeding Batcow when Damian was away always had a way of amusing him. The thought wouldn't last long, as a sense of angst took over.

"I've disappointed Bruce, haven't I?" Dick sighed.

Jason almost chocked on the spoonful of the frozen treat at the statement. A minor coughing fit took over for a few seconds.

"Where did that come from?" Jason replied.

A spoon would lightly tap against the table as Dick's fingers crossed, placing them beneath his chin.

"This whole situation happened because of me. If I knew what was going to happen. If I only had escaped sooner. If I hadn't made such a rookie mistake, maybe this whole thing could have been prevented. And not only have I destroyed your guys' image of me, but I've disappointed the man who raised me."

Jason wasn't sure how he should address the situation, as Dick's emotional lows weren't something he had a whole lot of contact with.

"Hey. You haven't disappointed anybody," Jason admitted, placing a hand on his shoulder, "and we don't think less of you. No one could have predicted this, as you have pointed out. I saw the injuries Dick. The defensive wounds are there. You fought back and got away. You survived and that is what matters."

"But…"

"But nothing. Slade Wilson isn't exactly the most traditional criminal we've encountered. He's destructive yet at the same time calculated."

A sigh briefly escaped Jason, thinking of where he should conclude the lecture.

"But at the end of the day, it is concern that's driving everyone to do what they're doing. Got it?"

"Understood." Dick accepted.

"Now, unless you want this melting any more, I suggest you start eating."

Without hesitation, Dick grabbed the abandoned spoon and shoveled up a big scoop of ice cream. No regrets were present as he shoved it in his mouth.

"Jason! Dick! What do you think you're doing?" Bruce's normally calm voice boomed.

~

_Puddles of blood scattered all over the metallic ground. The limp bodies of Bruce, Jason, Tim, and Damian were plastered all of the floor. They were alive, but barely, and the only thing keeping Dick away from them was the unwanted masked assassin holding a blood soaked blade._

_"You're really willing to sacrifice all of them?" Deathstroke inquired._

_"Leave them alone." Dick ordered, bolting towards them._

_He would soon be greeted by a knee to the stomach. His knees welcomed the floor as he clenched his stomach in pain._

_"Now, now Dick. I can't have you saving them." A hand forced Dick to look at him. "I promised that I would break you, and a promise I intend to keep."_

_Deathstroke would leave the former Boy Wonder behind, deciding who to demonstrate his resolve on first._

_"Leave them alone Slade." Dick pleaded._

_"Dick! Run!" Bruce's voiced echoed._

A terrified scream shot out of Dick as he bolted up. It took him a few moments to realize that he wasn't trapped, but rather in his own room. Arms hugged knees that were subconsciously curling closer to him. Several deep breaths were inhaled in an attempt to calm himself down.

It wouldn't be long before the door would swing open, broadcasting an anxious Bruce. While he may have looked ready to call it a night, several scrapes revealed that he had just returned from patrol. The bedside wasn't filled quickly enough as a hand brushed through Dick's already unruly bangs.

"What's wrong?" Bruce confronted.

Dick didn't respond, too embarrassed by the fact that his outburst had been heard.

"Dick?"

He still refused to say anything, leaving Bruce to his own detective devices. It didn't take much to figure it out. The trembling, lack of speaking and posture coupled with his previous outburst was all he needed.

"Nightmare?"

An unconscious twitch was all the response Bruce needed, deciding to give Dick the opportunity to speak for himself.

"He killed all of you." Dick finally admitted, barely above a whisper.

"Deathstroke?"

Dick nodded, hugging his knees tighter.

"He had captured and separated all of us. I looked all over for you, but I was lost. The next thing I knew, I could hear screams, so I followed them. When I found you, you were all bleeding. I tried to help you, but… I couldn't. He killed you." A grim smile widened on Dick's face. "I know it's just a nightmare and I really shouldn't let it bother me, but what if he really does kill you guys?"

"Hey…" Bruce hushed, slowly detangling the curled up mess that was his eldest then repositioned him, before bringing him in close. One hand wrapped around Dick while the other hand kept his head above his heart. "That's not going to happen. You're not going to be taken and no one is going to die."

The damp stream of tears could be felt working their way down, worming around Bruce's fingers. Bruce didn't utter a word, allowing Dick to release his anxiety. The fear emanated off of Dick, resulting in a stronger embrace. All Bruce wanted to do was protect his son, but even with Dick homebound, he couldn't stop all of the trauma and it infuriated him.

After what felt like ages, Dick had finally fallen back to sleep. A sense of defeated relaxation embraced Dick as Bruce repositioned and recovered him.

"That was pathetic." A voice curtly observed.

Looking at the doorway Bruce was greeted by a slightly annoyed Damian.

"Give him a break." Tim defended, soon joining them. "He's not you, all short and angry."

"You're really testing this agreement, aren't you Drake?"

"Oh so maliciously."

Damian redirected his attention towards his father.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's scared." Bruce admitted, heading towards the door. "He's afraid of what he believes could happen. Now's not the time to dwell on it. It's late, and we've got a lot of work to do tomorrow."

Bruce guided the two away from the bedroom, closing the door. Tim and Damian went their separate ways, heading to their designated quarters. Making his way back to his room, Bruce would pass Jason.

"Is he going to be okay?" Jason inquired.

"I don't know Jason." Bruce bitterly admitted. "I just don't know."


	12. Chapter 12

"Hand to hand?" Jason confirmed, removing his jacket and dropping it.

"Of course." Damian agreed.

Getting into a stance, both were prepared for a morning training session. After an hour of Damian complaining, Jason had finally agreed to help cool him off. All the while Dick was comfortable seated behind the railing parallel to the uniform mural, legs draped over the edge. As much as he would have loved to have joined in, he was well aware that he couldn't. Not that any of them would have let him to begin with.

Damian would be the one to make the first move, nimbly running towards Jason. His punch would be blocked by the open palm of Jason's hand. Getting a grip on the fist, he would toss the young Robin. Damian was barely fazed by the block, landing on his feet and resuming his attack. Damian would follow his example, by dodging Jason's first blow.

The two were able to get several blows in on each other, adjusting to the other's fighting style pretty quick. Damian's smaller and more agile frame helped dodge some of Jason's hits, but each hit Jason got in hit hard. When he couldn't dodge Damian's attacks, Jason was able to provide some form of defensive block in.

Oddly enough, it wouldn't take long before something unusual began to occur. Damian's usually strict form would start to get a little messy. Openings would begin to form more frequently, and he would appear a little more agitated than he usually would get. It was almost as though he was distracted by something, and it wasn't going unnoticed. It also didn't help that Damian periodically glared in Dick's direction.

Upon one of these inspections, Damian was instantly knocked over by Jason's shoulder colliding against him. The floor would gladly welcome Damian as he slammed against it. Dick shot a curiously concerned look in Damian's direction as the minor started to get up.

"Dick! I need you up here!" Bruce boomed from the top of the clock shaped entrance of the Bat Cave. "I want to get a good look at your ankle before we get you started on Leslie's suggested exercises."

"I'm coming!" Dick yelled back.

He slowly pulled himself to his feet and made his way to the staircase. The spar match was temporarily paused as they both watched him leave. He took his time, knowing he physically couldn't make as quick of an escape as he would have liked. The moment the entrance was sealed, Jason didn't waste any time resuming their match, throwing a punch at Damian, who barely manage to avoid it.

"You want to tell me what's going on?" Jason inquired.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Damian denied.

Another punch would be sent in Damian's direction, hitting Damian.

"You've never been one to be so absentminded during a training session, or even battle. I'm just curious as to why."

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

A heightened sense of irritation emitted from Damian as he went on the offensive. While some of his hits landed, Jason was able to dodge a number of Damian's punches.

"Are you tired?" Jason interrogated.

"No." Damian growled.

Another punch was thrown.

"Are you sick?"

"No."

"Are you angry at Tim because of whatever he does to annoy you?"

"No."

With each question Damian seemed to get more agitated. Jason didn't care, nor did he care about Damian's progressively sloppy fighting. He just wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"Is it Dick?"

A subconscious twitch escaped Damian, but he refused to answer. That alone was all the reaction that Jason needed, and he was going to take advantage of it.

"Is it because of Slade? What he's done?"

"Shut up!" Damian ordered.

Damian continued to attack him. Keeping a defensive stance, Jason took each blow. An opening would soon be made available as Jason grabbed Damian by the collar and slammed Damian to the ground. Damian began to struggle, wanting to get out of his grip.

"What is it? Concerned for his wellbeing? Scared because of what happened? Angry for what Slade did? What is wrong?"

Seething in rage, Damian continued to attempt to get out of his predicament. When it proved to be unsuccessful, Damian immediately lashed out.

"Angry?" Damian loathingly repeated. "Try infuriated. He's screwed with my family one too many times and I've had it. Now get off of me!"

A fist collided with Jason's stomach, causing him to flinch just enough to release Damian. Deciding not to go after him, Jason let Damian stand up and stormed out of the cave.

~

Dick and Bruce were in the study. Dick kept his foot planted on the stool between them, as his ankle had just recently been rewrapped, when the sound of stomping caught their attention. They both turned their attention to the origin of the noise.

"Damian?" Dick called, slightly concerned by his display. "Everything okay?"

Damian would pass them by, not acknowledging their presence or Dick's question.

"Damian?"

"Leave me alone!" Damian demanded, heading to his room.

~

Having given Damian enough time to himself, Jason decided to check on him. He agreed to check on him since Damian had not left his room with the exception of lunch and dinner, and he didn't want to burden Dick with the adolescent's bitter attitude.

Opening the door, Jason wasn't sure what to expect when he saw Damian in his Robin uniform, ready to make an exit through the window. He wasn't surprised, but he could admit that he wasn't entirely expecting it either. Either way, Jason knew it had to be addressed. Knowing that he had been caught, Damian hopped down from the windowsill.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jason sternly questioned, closing the door behind him, approaching Damian.

"I'm going after Slade." Damian proclaimed.

"Not going to happen."

"Do you really think you can stop me?"

"You're damn right I do. We have no idea where he is, or what he's planning. What do you possibly hope to gain from, blindly, doing this?"

"Keeping Grayson safe."

Jason didn't debate Damian's response, deciding to let him elaborate.

"I'm not going to stand by and let him take advantage of Grayson any more than he already has. I can't stand seeing Grayson deteriorate. He has to pay."

"Tell me, what do you think Dick would react to this little venture? Do you really think he'll be pleased with this?"

"At the end of the day, he'll be glad. Relieved once it's finally over. When I'm done, he'll be safe and able to move on."

Jason's hands firmly gripped Damian's upper arms.

"And if you get hurt, captured, or even worse killed, who do you think Dick will blame?"

Damian wasn't that impressed at the notion, rolling his eyes.

"You and I both know he would place all the blame himself. He's already burdened himself with what he's been through. If anything happened to you, we both know the guilt would drive him insane."

Damian glared to the side. The statement appeared to have little effect, as though he knew where Jason was going.

"That's not going to happen."

"I said the same thing when Bruce said my 'reckless' outbursts would be the death of me. I was six feet under a week later."

A snarky remark refused to surface as Damian figuratively bite his tongue. Not knowing how Jason would respond, he thought it wise not to cross that line.

"Are you going to tell me you don't want to kill him?" Damian mused.

"Of course I do. Because behind the corny puns, the cheesy one liners, and the annoyingly chipper personality is a guy that we've all come to adore. He's got a heart that's too big for what he's been put through, and it isn't getting better. However, I have to keep a lid on how we respond. We all have to. We have to remember who the victim is and how he would respond to a given situation. You may want to do this, but you have to take Dick into consideration. You want to handle this so badly that you haven't even considered the repercussions of what that would do to him, and that's not even taking into consideration daddy dearest."

A sigh escaped Jason, taking a breath from the little lecture. He would release Damian, ready to make his conclusion.

"Trust me, I want nothing more than to get justice, and I hate how Bruce is approaching this situation, but I have to consider the whole picture. You asked me if I think I could stop you. I do, but I know, no matter what I say, the choice you make is your own. But before you do, ask yourself this: are you _that_ willing to take the risk to protect Dick? Is it worth the potential emotional trauma you may unintentionally inflict on him?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick continues on with his necessary physical therapy, inquiring about the progress in Bruce's search. And why has Damian still not presented himself?

Dick plopped back down on the chair behind him. After spending a good thirty minutes working on balance and mobility exercises, his ankle needed the break. Why they decided to do this in the study was beyond him, but considering the comfort of the chairs, Dick couldn't complain.

"You're doing great." Bruce admitted, sitting in the chair parallel to Dick. "At this rate, you're ankle should be back to normal by the end of the week."

"That's good." Dick sighed.

"You look like you're having fun." Jason deduced, entering the room and preoccupied an open chair.

"Totally." Dick sarcastically agreed. "You look well rested."

"I am. The last few days have been exhausting, what with all the ice cream and nightmares."

If the statement provoked a sense of guilt, it wasn't intentional. Jason was just pointing out the facts, well aware that it wasn't Dick's fault for the problems he was having the last few days. With that said, Jason observed the room. The lack of heads present was something that he took an immediate note of.

"Where's Tim and the spawn?"

"Tim just fell asleep. You should have seen it. Bruce had to raid the Cave and yank him from the computer kicking and screaming."

Recalling the scene was entertaining as Dick chuckled at the thought. Seeing Tim weakly flailing around as Bruce hauled the teen over his shoulder and walking off was something that Dick wouldn't forget anytime soon.

"As for Damian, I haven't seen him in a while. Came down for breakfast, but went up to his room immediately afterwards. Whatever you did must have really done a number on him yesterday. He didn't even look at me this morning."

"You could say that. Let's just say we spent some quality time together, and I hope it pays off. My apologies."

"It's okay. It's not like this is the first time. He'll come around. Eventually."

Without much else to go on, the topic died. While he could have gone on about Damian's plan and what they discussed, Jason wanted to keep it confidential. If he could give Damian one thing, it was the trust that Jason wouldn't rat him out. Not that he wanted to add onto Dick or Bruce's already chaotic load to begin with.

"Anything new?"

They were both a little surprised by the inquiry. Bruce had requested that Dick stay as far away from their investigation as a means to help him recover on a mental and emotional level. He wanted to give him at least some piece of mind, especially after his nightmare. Jason had even agreed with it, because outside of what he had told Dick several nights ago, he had been trying to keep his predecessor's thoughts on other things.

"I know you want me to stay away from this, and I am, but the thoughts about it are still there."

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, not because he was annoyed or angry at Dick, but out of frustration towards the situation as a whole.

"Not a lot." Bruce admitted. "According to Tim, Deathstroke was last seen in Bludhaven. However, that was two nights ago, and by the time Damian and I got there, he was already gone. We interviewed the Bludhaven P.D. and they had no idea what he was doing or why he was there. Your future partner had received a tip from a concerned citizen about a 'masked ninja' prowling around the city. They brought this citizen in and they described what they saw. What the sketch artist created is what lead your partner to confirming that it was Deathstroke, because as luck would have it, they had tried to stop him the day you disappeared."

At that point Bruce was leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees and his hand crossed in front of his face.

"Unfortunately, as I mention, that was two nights ago, and we're not having any luck finding another lead."

Dick processed the tale, unsure if he should feel relieved that they've found something or intimidated by the fact that he's disappeared again. The fact that Slade had stumbled into Bludhaven was another thing that troubled him. Dick couldn't help but wonder why Slade would bother going there when he knew that he was in Gotham.

A tremble would unconsciously escape from him. While he knew that Bruce would find Slade, the uncertainty was agonizing.

"You want to grab lunch?" Jason asked, in an attempt to change the subject, having acknowledged the reaction. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

"Of course you are." Dick responded, enjoying the change of subject. "You kind of slept through breakfast."

~

"How dare you." Tim groggily growled, bitterly glaring at Bruce from across the table, bangs dangling in his face.

After eight hours, Tim had finally awoke from his slumber and joined everyone for dinner. While he appeared well rested, the fact that his progress was halted annoyed him.

"You needed the sleep." Bruce admitted, not impressed by Tim's attitude.

"But I could have spent those eight hours doing something productive."

"You did." Dick added. "It's called managing of your health."

Tim gave Dick an annoyed eye roll.

"You know what I mean."

Dick responded with a playful shrug before turning his attention to the empty chair. The absence of Damian was a little odd. Dick was familiar with Damian's sporadic loner moments, but the fact he decided to opt out of dinner was suspicious. He wouldn't address the issue it due to its semi familiar nature. It would not go unnoticed, however, as even Bruce silently took note of it.

~

Everyone would once again swarm to the study. Not quite ready to go on patrol yet, Bruce observed his three other children reminiscing as he waited for Damian. Seeing Jason and Tim making an effort to cheer Dick up with stories of intrigue and mayhem was comforting. While he may not have approved of all of their antics, Jason's especially, so long as it kept Dick's mind off of everything, he couldn't complain.

This sense of peace wouldn't last long once Alfred entered the room. His usual calm was replaced with fear and concern. A piece of paper was suffocated in his hand as he approached Bruce.

"What's wrong Alfred?" Bruce inquired.

"It's Master Damian." Alfred anxiously answered.

"What about him?"

"I went to check on him… and… Sir, he's gone."

The once pleasant air in the room immediately went cold. Shock would take hold of three of them, while a sense of rage began to boil in Jason.

"He left this."

Alfred gingerly passed the note to Bruce. With Jason and Tim staring intently observing Bruce, he decided to read it out loud.

_Father,_

_Something has to be done. It's been almost two weeks now, and while I'd like to say that we've made progress, I cannot fully agree to such a sentiment. Grayson is suffering at a rate that's detrimental to his overall health and I refuse to let it continue. I will not stand by and act like everything will be okay when we come up empty handed. I am going after Slade without you. I may not know where to start, but I will find him, and I will end him._

_Slade's visit was the catalyst, and the nightmare was the last straw. Jason may have attempted to dissuade me from this decision, but I refuse to continue listen to the frightened cries that Dick tries to hide every night. My family has suffered enough, and I will defend it._

_I am well aware this action may come off of as rash, but it has to be done._

Refolding the note, Bruce attempted to pacify his anger at Damian's decision. Jason on the other hand, was not having the same luck, throwing out a slew of profanity and bitter declarations at his choice, having hoped that he had gotten through to Damian somewhere in his lecture. While Alfred would have preferred the use of less colorful words, he couldn't bring himself to correct Jason for it. He had his own worries about the youngest member of the family to account for.

Tim would be the one to redirect their attention to the source of Damian's misguided declaration, causing their spite to change to concern. Widened sapphire eyes, hunched posture, and a slightly agape mouth pointed to one thing: terror. Being told that Damian had flown the coop as a means to deal with the looming problem was the last thing he wanted. It was bad enough that he couldn't fight this battle or at the very least take care of the situation on his own, but now he had to handle the guilt and fear of Damian going out on his own to deal with it. He was a panic attack waiting to happen.

Bruce decided to take the initiative to approach Dick. Dick's legs would give out, allowing himself to be caught by the Wayne, who slowly brought them both to their knees. A hand would circle the acrobat's back as Bruce gently attempted to reassure Dick that everything was going to be alright.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions start to rise a bit as Jason and Bruce have a talk about Damian's disappearance. In an attempt to console Dick, Tim has Jason get Dick to bed and observe him.

"I tried to warn him that this would happen." Jason recalled.

He and Bruce had hid within the confines of the Batcave. With an unwanted task that needed to be dealt with, Bruce was already in his cowl.

"What did you tell him?" Bruce coldly questioned.

"That he had to take Dick into consideration and the emotional impact that this decision would cause if he made it."

"And why didn't you think to come to me with this?"

"Because I was the one to instigate his personal withdrawal two days ago and I chose to handle it myself. Besides, I thought that if he heard it coming from someone with shared an issue with their anger, he might listen."

"Look where that got us. Damian's gone, I've got to apprehend the Joker, alone now I might add, and Dick's already slow mental recovery just fractured. "

"Enough!" Tim intervened.

Clad in his Red Robin uniform, the teen had snuck his way in and wedge himself between the two debaters. Firmly placing his arms in between the two, Tim planned on keeping them at an arm's length distance.

"I just got Dick to calm down and you two are already letting your no arguing promise fall through the cracks."

When they didn't respond to the statement or show a sign that they'd continue, Tim slowly dropped his arms down. Having a few topic to address, he gave his attention to Jason first.

"Now, I want you to go up there and keep an eye on Dick." Tim stated. "He says he's tired, but I don't know if he's just saying that so he can run off in search of Damian. Get him to bed and stay with him. I have him waiting for you with Alfred."

Jason nodded, more than willing to take over for him. Tim's attention would shift to Bruce.

"I'll help you with the Joker. As much as I'd like to focus my time on finding Slade, he has to be handled, especially in the off chance that he and Damian cross paths."

"That takes care of tonight, but then what?" Bruce inquired.

"Tomorrow we'll have to juggle between finding Slade and locating Damian. This happened because we failed to properly handle the situation in its entirety since Dick's discharge. We've been so focused on catching Slade and Dick's recovery that we've neglected the psychological issues that everybody has been having."

~

As promised, Jason had escorted Dick back to his room. Once Dick did everything he needed to, he was anxiously sitting in bed, knees defensively curled up. With Jason planted beside him, he knew he wouldn't be able to escape if he even had the energy to do so.

"This is all my fault." Dick pitifully admitted.

"Are we really revisiting this?" Jason observed, allowing Dick to have his moment.

"I don't know what's worse, the fact that I was so caught up in the familiarity of his independent tendencies that I didn't think I should have checked on him, or the fact that he thinks he has to fight my battles."

"He's not fighting your battle."

"But he's going after Slade because I failed to stop this. I'm so stupid."

A hand would firmly tap Dick's cheek. It would not land harsh enough to leave mark, but hard enough to snag his attention. If he didn't have his full attention on Jason before, Dick definitely showed it now.

"Would you stop it already?" Jason ordered. "This self-loathing rut you're digging yourself into is starting to get annoying."

Blue eyes were cautiously observing Jason, unsure where Jason was going to go next.

"If it's anyone's fault for letting this happen, it's mine. I should have kept on him about leaving."

"But if I hadn't gotten captured in the first place, he wouldn't have ran off."

"If Slade hadn't made the choice to use you for his little game, none of this would have come to pass."

Hands would take a hold of Dick's upper arms. Dick flinched at the gesture, not knowing what to expect.

"You keep looking for a reason to blame yourself and I'm not going to let that happen. We will find him, and we will keep you safe."

Dick was unsure what to respond with. He didn't want to admit that he was searching for a reason to blame himself, still holding onto to the notion that he was the one responsible for the situation. At the same time, he didn't want to argue Jason's observation either. The grip on his arms began to loosen.

"Now, I believe someone said they were tired."

Slightly tilting his head, Dick acknowledge the statement. Having almost forgot about that that was the reason he wanted to leave the study, he gave Jason a confirming nod. Shifting around, Dick would soon get comfortably curled up on his side as Jason adjusted the blanket to cover up to his shoulders. Reaching for the lamp, Jason felt a tug on his shirt that chose not to let go. Still holding onto what was left of his conscious state, Dick was latched onto Jason.

"Please don't go." Dick begged. "I don't want to be alone."

An amused expression graced Jason. He couldn't bring himself to admit that was the plan, especially since Dick wasn't present for that conversation. Rather, Jason slid back down on the bed.

"Of course." Jason agreed.

~

It had been a strenuous patrol, and Bruce was glad to be home. Handling the Joker's latest dose of chaos was exhausting. It didn't help that his mind was thinking about everything that had just gone transpired.

After forcing Tim to his room for the night, he figured he'd check in on Dick. Slowly creaking the door open, he was greeted by a worn out scene. The balled up frame of the eldest boy wonder appeared calm, all the while Jason occupied the other half of the bed, comfortably placed on top of the sheets with an arm draped over Dick.

Bruce slowly entered the room, wanting to get a better look. Adjusting to the darkness of the room, he was able to notice a few new details. Slightly puffed eyes would make themselves known, admitting that Dick had at one point been crying.

A groggy sigh escaped from Jason, as he was disturbed from his sleep. He repositioned himself ever so slightly, readjusting himself onto his back. Keeping his eyes closed, Jason was well aware of who was visiting them.

"He woke up screaming." Jason stated.

"Another nightmare?" Bruce deduced.

"Uh-huh."

"What about?"

"The kid getting axed."

A sympathetic stare made its way to Dick, who remained undisturbed by their conversation. Bruce would gently brush a few strands of hair to the side. He couldn't think of anything reassuring to pass along, all he knew was that he wished that everything would be okay.

"He'll be fine. At least for tonight anyways. Now, if you don't mind, we could both use the sleep, and you kind of disturbed mine."

Knowing that Jason was tired, and not using his usually bitter annoyance, Bruce didn't snap at him for his command. Not vocally admitting to his own exhaustion, Bruce just gave a nod and quietly made his way for the door. Jason would return to his side, not taking long to fall back to sleep.

Bruce would give the two one last look before leaving the room. The fact that they were both getting needed sleep was a blessing, but the anxiety and the pain refused to leave. Well aware that there was nothing that any of them could do in that moment, he closed the door behind him, ready to give up their current state of affairs for the night.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick has another physical therapy session, and Bruce decides to address his guilt. Later on, Tim has a breakthrough in his search for Damian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you haven't noticed, I finally added what will be the total amount of chapters. I mean to add it when I posted chapter twelve (as it's the half way mark), but I ended up doing it with the previous chapter.

Dick slowly regained consciousness, eyes adjusting to the muffled light that the drapes blocked out. Stretching out, he would roll onto his other side. Alarmed by the empty space beside him, Dick bolted up, anxiously looking for Jason. It took a moment before the light from his bathroom caught his attention.

"Relax." Jason sighed. "I woke up a little bit ago and thought I'd take a shower."

A sigh of relief escaped as Dick flopped back down the bed, pulling the blanket over his face. Not wanting Dick to fall back to sleep, Jason yanked the blanket off of him.

"I don't think so. If I have to be up, so do you. Plus, you can't skip out on your manor bound physical therapy."

~

Having notified the school of Damian's absence, claiming that the boy had come down with some form of ailment that required him to be quarantined, Bruce followed up with another one of Leslie's exercises. With breakfast taken care of, Bruce helped Dick with another thirty minute session. Just as Bruce had expected, Dick's balance and regained strength on the injured ankle was steadily improving.

With Dick in a relaxed state, Bruce decided to address the situation on his own terms. Especially since he didn't get the opportunity to do so the previous night.

"You holding up alright?" Bruce inquired.

"Not exactly." Dick gloomily admitted, knowing there wasn't a point in denying it. "Better than last night, that's for sure, but I'm struggling."

"You know this isn't your fault, right?"

"That's what you and Jason are telling me."

Eyes evaded Bruce, not wanting to share their distress. Rather, he kept his sights set on his lap and the curled up hands on it.

"But I can't help but believe the contrary."

"That may be, this is you we're talking about, but it's not like you planned for any of this."

"But it's because of me that your son is on a suicide run."

Resisting the anger that wanted to seep out at the guilt driven tone that Dick used in regards to Damian, Bruce drew in a deep breath. He knew Dick didn't intend for it to come out that way, but the fact that Dick viewed Damian's relationship to him differently in that moment, was concerning.

"You seem to have forgotten that you're just as much of my son as he is."

Dick didn't respond. Knowing that he had crossed a boundary, he was prepared for whatever lecture was to come. He wasn't afraid of the backlash, but he did feel bad about how he approached the topic. He didn't expect Bruce to shift himself from the chair to a nearby stool, closing the gap between them.

"I get it, you feel responsible for all of this and you're scared, but that doesn't mean your any less my son than he is. Blood or not, you know I care for all of you deeply."

Dick didn't say anything, opting to glare to the right of them.

"Damian has always headstrong, a trait that regrettable had been passed down from both parents. Along with that, he seems to have inherited a fondness for the acrobat sitting in front of me. Unfortunately, due to his impulsive nature, he hasn't quite been able to handle certain stimuli as well as we would expect. His big brother's been hurt, and the only way he knows how to cope with it is through these kind of actions."

Dick finally made eye contact with Bruce, and he wasn't surprised to see the concern on Bruce's face. As much as he wanted to, Dick couldn't bring himself to look down.

"We'll find him." Bruce promised. "Just promise me you'll stop blaming yourself."

"I'll try."

"Isn't that touching?" Jason prodded, disrupting their display.

He would enter the room, placing himself next to Dick. Grabbing Dick by his upper arm, Jason pulled him to his feet.

"But if you don't mind, I'd like to borrow our Boy Wonder for a little."

"Why?" Bruce curiously wondered.

"Because I thought I'd take him for a scenic walk."

Any protest from Bruce was immediately shot down before it even escaped his vocal cords.

"I know. You don't want him outside, like at all, but he needs the fresh air and I only plan on keeping him within the perimeter of the manor. Besides, you've got a _quarantined_ child that needs to be tended to."

Not waiting for the inevitable argument, Jason spirited Dick away.

~

Tim was diligently working at the computer, hacking his way into several security systems and traffic light cameras. It had been several hours and there had been little to no sign of Damian. A few glimpses of a figure would graze the corner of a handful of cameras, but only one seemed to have gotten a shadowed figure remotely close to Damian's frame.

"Any luck?" Bruce asked.

"Not really." Tim sighed, taking a sip of coffee. "So far some litter and a cat have been a major highlight. The security camera outside of the museum may have caught him in an adjacent alleyway last night, but because of the lack of proper lighting, I can't clearly identify that it's Damian. Little shit's staying out of sight."

An unamused eye roll escaped from Bruce, not impressed by Tim's choice of language. Probably something he pick up from Jason as far as Bruce was concerned. He focused his attention to the computer screen, watching as multiple video and photographic evidence appeared on the screen at once. He couldn't complain about Tim's search, but he did hope that Damian would make it easier. Not that he, or Deathstroke for that matter, wanted to make it that way.

The thought of where both individuals were was a concern. Since Slade's Houdini act at the hospital, Bruce unwillingly was on edge. It was a pain waiting for Dick and Jason to get back into the house, regardless of the fact that he, to a degree, subconsciously supported getting Dick out of the house. The paranoia of Slade hiding somewhere around the manor, heaven forbid on the property itself, lingered for their entire trek.

The sound of footsteps would make their way down the steps of the Batcave. Attentions would briefly turn to the source.

"Don't mind me." Jason pacified, dropping his jacket. "Dick passed out in the study, reading the Arabian Nights I might add, so I thought I'd beat up a training dummy. Alfred said he'd check on Dick periodically."

Not needing to be told twice, they returned to their project. An hour would go by without much progress. Even the brief switch to locating Slade turned up blank. Another half an hour would go by before a small clue would make himself known.

"Look at this." Tim motioned, zooming in on one of the videos. "I reran the security tape from Gotham Stadium."

He enhanced the top of the image, clearing up the top of the building on the other side of the street. A small figure could be seen jumping from one roof to the next.

"Damian." Bruce identified.

"Indeed. That was taken at six this morning, it looks like he's heading north, most likely towards Downtown Gotham."

Tim scavenged every security feed he could find between the stadium and the docks leading into the city. Each one providing information proving that Damian was on the move. Once they saw Damian making it over the water way and into an alleyway, Tim pulled up the closest traffic light security camera. However, upon replaying the footage, Damian didn't emerged from the alleyway.

Bruce and Tim didn't know what to expect when Damian didn't immediately show himself. They waited a few minutes, hoping that Damian would emerge, but he never did. Not wanting to give up, Tim looked into several other security cameras within a block radius, a number of which hit other potential alleyway exits. None of them appeared to have caught the current boy wonder.

"Where is he?" Bruce growled in frustration.

As Tim tried to think of other spots to look, the computer screen unwillingly popped up another screen. It wasn't footage, but rather a video call, and the face on the screen was the last person they wanted to see: Deathstroke.

"Evening Wayne household." The masked assassin greeted. "You haven't lost anything, have you? I've found a little bird that's flown quite a ways from home, and I was wondering if you were missing him."

The camera would pan out, revealing Damian chained to a wall sporting several cuts and bruises.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deathstroke puts forth his demands in exchange for Damian and in a moment of banter between him and Damian more to his plan is revealed.

"What did you do to him?" Bruce aggressively growled.

"Don't worry, it's all superficial." Deathstroke admitted, bringing the screen back to him. "I wouldn't want him dying on us now."

"Let him go."

"I plan to, given my condition is met that is."

Having an inclination as to what Deathstroke was referring to, Bruce knew that he'd only admit to it by questioning it.

"And what, pray tell, might that be?"

"What, has the world's greatest detective not figured it out yet?"

Bruce wasn't impressed with the demining sarcasm that the assassin was using, finding it aggravating more than anything. Deathstroke enjoyed pinching that nerve.

"The acrobat with the busted ankle."

"Not going to happen."

A blade would strike Damian, if only to prove a point. The blow would result in an uncomfortable growl from the boy, as blood oozed from the fresh wound, soaking the R on his uniform. A slight twitch would escape from Bruce at the sight, not wanting to fold to the cruel display. The same could not be said for Tim, who let out a disturbed gasp. The only one keeping a lid on how to react, was Jason. Familiar with a number of the man's tactics first hand, he wish he could say that it bothered him more than he did.

"Are you sure about that? You know I don't have any qualms about killing him."

Bruce didn't respond. He was well aware of the intent behind those words, and didn't want it to come to pass, but at the same time he wasn't about to trade Dick off either.

"Don't father!" Damian ordered, struggling against the chained metallic bracelets. "I'll get out of this. Protect Grayson."

"Silence!" Deathstroke replied, punching Damian before turning his attention back to Bruce. "You and I both know that this will only end one of two ways. If you don't want your son's blood on your hands, you will give me what I want."

The tension in the air only seemed to crush the room more. If having Damian as bait in an attempt to pawn him off for Dick wasn't bad enough, using Damian as a literal punching bag to prove a point only made it worse.

"Do you really think we're just going to hand Dick over?" Jason intervened. "Or let you kill Damian? We will protect both of them."

"That's really up to you." Deathstroke admitted. "One of those options will come to pass. Three days should be enough to come to a consensus."

"That's ludicrous." Jason boomed. "You can't just put a time limit on the lives of two people."

"I can, and I will. I'm a man of my word. Wouldn't you agree, Richard?"

Everyone whipped their attention away from the screen. Perched on the stairwell with a look of petrified anguish was the hunched frame of Dick. A hand hovered over his mouth, not that any words wanted to escape. How long he had been there, no one knew, but the fact that he had not only gotten up, but managed to sneak into the cave, was unsettling.

"Dick." Jason anxiously whispered.

"You're looking better." Deathstroke observed. "Ready for round two?"

Dick refused to respond. Not wanting the attention any longer, he flew up the stairs. Beating Bruce to the punch, Jason bolted after him. Rage landed on Slade, who was amused by the whole display. A corrupt smirk was plastered beneath his mask.

"You've already fractured my family enough as is." Bruce aggressively pointed out. "I will not let you break it more."

"You won't have a choice in the matter." Deathstrroke denied. "And break? No. More like shatter. You have three days to make the trade, don't comply and the boy will die. You'll know where to find me."

Bruce wouldn't be able to proceed as the screen went black. A fist would collide with the keyboard.

~

Dick would rush out of the study, paying no mind to his surroundings. Tears blurred his vision along the way. His ankle would give way, causing him to fall over. Alfred would come down the same hallway, distressed by the sight in front of him.

"Master Richard." Alfred called out, running to his side, attempting to help him up. "Whatever is wrong?"

"Alfred! Don't let him get away." Jason's voice loudly demanded.

Jason would immediately emerge from around the corner, as Dick weakly got on his feet and attempted to get out of Alfred's grip. Jason would grab Dick, one arm lassoing over Dick's shoulders while the other latched around his torso. In retaliation, Dick's legs began swinging, hoping to free himself.

"Let me go!" Dick pleaded, tears refusing to dissipate.

"So you can go and get yourself hurt?" Jason sternly noted. "Not going to happen."

Dick went voiceless. The will to fight Jason off ceased, anxious despair taking over. It was at that moment, Jason forced them both to sit on the floor. With both arms now holding onto Dick's shoulders, Jason allowed Dick to vent his anxiety out, not uttering a word.

A hand would reach out for Dick's arm. Kneeling beside them, Alfred attempted to reach out to what he considered to be a grandchild.

~

"You'll know where to find me." Deathstroke stated.

He would end the conversation at that, wanting to get the last word in. He got the response he wanted, and that was all that mattered. His interests shifted to his unwilling visitor, who was eagerly trying to squirm out of the chains.

"There is no way father is going to hand Grayson over." Damian admitted. "Nor will I remain you're involuntary pawn."

"He won't need to." Deathstroke responded, running a finger on the surface of his blood stained blade. "The trap has already been implanted."

Disdained aggression festered off of Damian, but at the same time, a sporadic sense of curiosity peaked from beneath it.

"What could you possible gain from this?"

"I suppose you do deserve to know that much, seeing as you're playing a part to this and all."

The assassin would slowly approach the wall his prisoner was latched onto.

"It started off as a simple revenge plot, with the intent of prolonging his suffering before ending his life. However, I thought I'd do a little research into our black and blue bird."

His visual attention shifted to his wrist, reminiscing his investigation.

"I must say that I was surprised. His life at Haley's Circus was a lot more malicious than one would think. A life built on lies. So image my surprise when I was approached by the Court of Owls."

Domino masked eyes widened in shock. The mere mention of the organization resurfaced a bad taste in his mouth. Considering the fact they had already tried to kill his father, the fact that Dick had any relationship with the group of assassins was infuriating. When Damian didn't respond, Deathstroke knew he had pinched a nerve and how to direct the conversation. He began pacing back and forth in front of Damian.

"They came to me asking to deliver a genetic offspring, and considering the price they're willing to pay, I took the offer. However, since I was essentially whipping the proverbial slate clean in an attempt to give them an easily influenced heirloom, I decided to update the terms and conditions of the contract. They would get a Talon provided I can use him as I please."

Damian didn't want to expose his aggravation. He didn't want to give Deathstroke the satisfaction of his rage at the fact that Deathstroke was treating Dick's life like nothing more an object. Bargaining began sounding like a reasonable option with the potential to talk him out of it.

"I have to say I'm disappointed." Damian taunted. "All of this, for what, profit? A legacy? Out of all of us, Grayson is the worst candidate for an heir. When it comes to killers, Todd and I would be the superior breed. Heck, even Drake would be better than him given his intellect."

A hand would brutally brush the side of Damian's face, leaving a red mark in its wake. The outburst annoyed Slade, but he denied the boy anything more than the blow. Rather, he saw an opportunity to deflect the trick Damian was trying to spring.

"How narcissistic of you." The assassin prodded. "True, you and Jason have you're benefits, but you had your chance, and you made your choice. You're nothing more than a dishonored heir of the League of Assassins. And intellect, I've already got that covered. Richard has perfected one thing that none of you have: adaptability. That adaptability can be exploited and abused."

A growl escaped Damian, infuriated by the fact that Deathstroke was overshadowing the argument.

"Maybe so, but do you really think Court of Owls will let you take him? They're not known for sharing."

"Which is why I plan to remove him from their grasp once they've taught him everything they know. Blood or not, I will get the heir I've always wanted."

Deathstroke flicked the blade in his hand, ready for another onesided round.

"The bat may have clipped his wings, but this owl will fly once more, talons sharpened for war. Now let's see how much more damage I can cause without you losing consciousness."


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tension begins to build between Bruce and Jason as Dick locks himself away with unsuspecting consequences.

A new day would be blocked out by the Bat Cave as Bruce and Tim tried to figure out how Slade had gotten in the computer system and where the video call had been sent out from. Thankfully, the dent that Bruce's fist had left on the computer didn't hinder Tim's investigation much. Footsteps could be heard echoing through the cave.

"I thought you were keeping an eye on him?" Bruce coldly stated, turning his attention to their visitor. "What happened to you face?"

A black and blue spot blemished Jason's cheekbone as he massaged it. The stinging had subsided, but dull pain still dented the area in question.

"He decked me in a nightmare induced daze." Jason admitted. "I got to admit, for someone who was half asleep, he's got a good left hook."

_With Dick in an emotionally exhausted state of unconsciousness, Jason allowed him to take up residency in his room. Jason refused to sleep, suspicious of the notion that Dick could wake up at any moment and in a spontaneous motion attempt to escape. If Dick were in a reasonable state, he would probably be lecturing Jason about not sleeping, not that it really mattered at that point._

_The morning was starting to peak through the drape covered windows, and Jason was surprised that his predecessor hadn't gotten up. At least until small convolutions began to stir. Breaths began to accelerate and closed eyes tightened. Latching onto Dick's shoulders, Jason started shaking the man._

_"Wake up!" Jason ordered. "You're having another nightmare."_

_Eyes started to crack open before gapping open in dazed shock. Before Jason could react, a fist would slug the side of his face. The blow would cause Jason to stumble back, as he made a conscious effort to not fall over. Dick's state of confusion wouldn't last long, and he instantly realized what he had done._

_"Jay!" He gasped, leaping out of the bed._

_Dick got close up to inspect the damage. A red spot began to spread. Jason tried to show that it didn't bother him, knowing how he would react. That did not however, stop the guilt from preventing Dick from hoovering over Jason longer as he started to back away._

_"I'm sorry."_

_Dick, in a panic, rushed to the doorway before Jason had the chance to grab him._

_"I'm sorry!"_

"He really felt bad about it." Jason recalled. "I tried to go after him, but he beat me to his room and locked the door. Now before you say it, I know it's stupid to leave him alone, but I passed Alfred on my way down and he said he'd try to coax him out while I got you."

~

Pounding on the door, Alfred tried to get into the room. He was calling out for Dick, politely yet distressingly requesting that Dick open the door.

"Thank goodness you're here." Alfred anxiously sighed.

"He still hasn't let you in?" Jason asked.

"I've been trying to get in for the last five minutes. He told me he he'd let me in once he's taken a shower and asked for something to drink. I left as he got started. He's done and he hasn't let me in."

Bruce gently moved Alfred aside as he tried his hand at it. Wigging the door, he noticed that the door was still locked. Not wanting to waste any time picking the lock, there was only one other option he could think of in order to get in.

"Dick!" Bruce called out. "I'm coming in. You'd better not be by the door."

Not wasting anytime, he rammed the door. The door would fly off the hinges, allowing an exposed look into the bedroom. What they found was the last thing they wanted to see. An empty room greeted them. Silent alarm planted itself within them as they investigated the room. The wind fueled curtains would catch their attention, revealing the escape route. Glass architecture opened itself up to the world outside.

Bruce would investigate the grounds outside of the window. With no body on the ground bellow, it was clear that Dick had gotten away, but what was really surprising was the fact that he managed to scale the side of the building with a recovering ankle. However, the physical stress was the least of Bruce's concerns. The vanishing acrobat was a more pressing matter.

With Dick flying the coop, Bruce's disposition sank. He knew that Dick was only doing this to rectify for Damian's capture, but Bruce knew that that was just what Slade wanted. That in itself ripped an emotional hole in Bruce. _You weren't supposed to leave._ Bruce morbidly noted.

Bruce would return his attention to the inhabitants of the room. The sight of a concerned Alfred was the first thing he knew he had to address.

"This is all my fault." Alfred blamed. "I shouldn't have left him."

"It's not your fault." Jason comforted, placing a hand on the butler's shoulder. "He's not thinking clearly. We'll find him. Damian too. Don't worry. Why don't you take a moment to take this in? On your own, because I think Bruce is going to need a moment."

Alfred got a quick glance at Bruce. Knowing that the inevitable outburst was on the rise, he choose to excuse himself. Leaving the two men in the vacant room, Alfred ventured to the study, hoping to process the situation in a quieter setting.

"You're right about one thing." Bruce bitterly admitted. "It's not Alfred's fault. If you had just kept an eye on them, this wouldn't have happened."

"How dare you." Jason defensively growled. "You can't seriously be blaming me for all of this. I may be the one who's spent the most time with him, but I am not the only one he's been in contact with."

~

"You should have busted in there instead of leaving it to Alfred." Bruce stated.

"And you should have had a better leash on Damian instead of leaving it to Dick." Jason argued. "Who, may I remind you, has not been in the proper state of mind since he got here."

The two hadn't stopped their heated debate as they both made their way back to the Bat Cave. Still trying to decipher the information, Tim couldn't help but feel a sense of unwanted stress enter the room with them.

"Says the guy who didn't say a word about Damian's plan."

"Because I thought I handled it. It just goes to show how little structure you've provided for him."

"Knock it off!" Tim intervened, physically wedging himself get between the two. "Now what's going on?"

"Dick ran away." Jason revealed, taking a few steps back.

Tim was hurt by the statement. The abduction of Damian was bad enough, but the fact that Tim now lost another brother was devastating.

"I should have taken him from the hospital." Jason regretted. "I shouldn't have even debated it with him, and just done it."

"Really?" Bruce irritatingly barked back. "You would really risk pissing him off by doing that?"

"Yeah. Sure, he would be mad at me at first, but he would get over it eventually. If you hadn't cornered him into this arrangement, none of this would have happened. If you didn't try to juggle caring for him, work, and patrol, you would have found Slade by now. He would have been safe."

Jason stormed out of the Cave, too angered to want to stand around. Bruce wasn't sure how to respond. A mix of anger and grief swirled around. He was angry and Damian, for reacting the way that they had, but he was infuriated at Slade because of all of the trauma he's caused. The guilt was a result of the facts in front of him. The guilt of not noticing Damian's frustration sooner and grief of being unable to protect both him and Dick began to sink in. As much as he didn't want to admit to it, Bruce knew there was an ounce of truth in Jason's statement. Tim would approach Bruce, ready to assist him.

"This is not your fault." Tim confided. "You're both angry and worried, and you both just want what's best for Dick. I've started to crack how Slade got into our system."

Tim brought him over to the computer.

"From what I can tell, he was somehow able to remotely infect the computer, just long enough to get the video call through."

"The location of the signal?" Bruce inquired.

"Not sure yet. Give me some time and I'll be able to find out. We'll find him Bruce. Let's just hope it's before Deathstroke does."


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened when Dick locked himself in his room and where he ends up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read note at end of chapter for a bit of a explanation.

Dick didn't look back as he bolted towards his room. Fully aware that Jason was trying to stop him, he refused to acknowledge Jason's voice. Dick was so shook up by a nightmare involving a bloodied and dead Damian, he lost all restraint upon returning to the world. Intentional or not, he still hit Jason, and that was all Dick needed to mentally torture himself. He whipped his bedroom door open, immediately slamming it behind him. Dick felt Jason make contact with the door as he locked it. Sliding into a sitting position, simultaneously wrapping his arms around is knees, Dick would remorsefully attempt to block out the presence on the other side.

"Dick, open up." Jason pleaded, anxiously shaking the handle.

A hand would cover Dick's eyes, hiding his tears from the nonexistent company in the room.

"If this is about hitting me, it's okay. If anything, I was just surprised. I'm not hurt me. Let me in!

"Go away!" Dick yelled back.

"You know I can't do that."

The sound of shuffling could be heard from Dick's side of the door. From what Dick could tell, Jason had kneeled down in an attempt to get in the same level as him.

"Please open up." Jason requested.

"No." Dick whispered, shaking his head against the door.

"Then you leave me no choice."

Dick heard Jason immediately stand back up.

"I'm going to get Bruce."

Dick bounced up, intimidated by the request, as he heard footsteps leave his doorstep. He didn't expect Jason to get Bruce involved, and he wasn't ready for it. Backing further into his room, Dick would drop on his bed. His thoughts would be disturbed by another set of footsteps approaching the door.

"Master Richard," Alfred greeted, tapping on the door, "would you please consider letting me in?"

"I want to be alone." Dick stated.

"I can't allow that. Not with you like this."

"I don't want anyone near me."

"And I don't want you hurting yourself."

The argument was at a standstill, with neither parties willing to budge. The sound of a vibrating phone stole Dick's attention for a moment. Picking it up, he checked to see what he had received. A blocked would send him a text, and upon opening the message, a disturbed yet intrigued glare took its content in.

"Okay Alfred, I'll let you in." Dick deceitfully told. "I just want to take a shower first okay? And if you don't mind, I could use some water."

A sigh could be heard coming from Alfred's side of the door.

"Of course. I'll get it for you once you get into the shower."

Knowing that Alfred would keep to his word, Dick slowly made his way to the bathroom, rereading the text.

_If you want the brat alive come to this location, alone. No Bats, not friends, nobody._

_Slade Wilson_

A photo was attached to the text. A map pinpointing an abandoned factory in Gotham's midtown was all it showed. Dick would quietly enter the bathroom. He would turn the shower on, knowing that it would fool the butler.

Dick would wait in the doorway, waiting for Alfred to leave. Listening to the footsteps, he refused to move until the sound had muted. I'm sorry Alfred. Dick mentally apologized, turning the water off. I have to take care of this, and I have to do it alone.

Dick would immediately delete the message and threw the phone on to his bed, so that they wouldn't try to contact him. Quickly reaching the window, Dick immediately opened the window. Knowing that there wasn't anything to cushion his fall, Dick knew he had to carefully, yet quickly make it down before Alfred would get back.

Delicately placing both legs outside of the window, he slowly scotched himself down to the first architectural platform of the building. Once he got the proper footing, he climbed his way down further, aiming for the bottom portion of the first floors windowsill. He would nearly slip due to the slick fabric of the glass, but he was able to get a grip of the wall fast enough to stop himself.

Repositioning his footing on the windowsill, Dick knew he could make an easier jump. In an effort to keep his foot as damaged free as possible, Dick was able to make himself do a somersault upon making contact with the ground.

Knowing that he would have little time to get away, Dick made his way towards the gate. Well aware that Bruce would inspect the window, he made his way towards the gated doors of the manor. He would carefully open the contraption, just by a few inches, he snaked his way through, closing it behind him.

~

After a temporary use of the subway system, Dick would find the abandoned warehouse in question. Fragmented memories of the place starting to come back to him as he made his way to the building. Spotty memories of his bleeding escape managed to surface. Not wanting to walk into a trap, he knew he had to avoid barging through the front door.

~

Damian had been left unattended to for an unknown amount of time. With Slade's desires vocally implemented, he saw no point in monitoring the boy, at least for the time being. Damian had attempted to worm his wrists out of the restraints once more, the progressively ripped gloves around the area in question proving just that. Deciding to take a brief break from his escape, Damian took the opportunity to listen to his surroundings.

The sound of light tapping caught his attention. Coming out of the shadows, Dick silently approached Damian. A look of horror and annoyance imbedded itself on Damian's face as Dick inspected the damages. Hands lightly traced over dried scars and dark bruises.

"You shouldn't have come." Damian bitterly whispered.

"I couldn't just condemn you." Dick hastily replied, turning his attention to the restraints that he tried to pry them off. "Look what he's done to you."

"You don't get understand. This is exactly what he wants. You've got to get out of here."

"No."

A hand would grab the back of Dick's shoulder and yank him back. His ankle would briefly work against to him and the cold metallic ground wasn't kind to him either, sending a hard jolt through his body. Concerned eyes would observe Dick shifted on his side and propped himself up on his arm.

"You should have taken his advice," Slade admitted, making his presence known, "but I'm glad you didn't. I told you that you would return by your own accord."

"If by 'his own accord' you mean unceremoniously blackmail him into it, then yes he did." Damian growled.

Slade acted like he hadn't heard Damian's remark, keeping his attention set on Dick.

"I did what you wanted, now let Damian go." Dick demanded as he got himself sitting up.

Amused by the request, the black and orange assassin crouched down to his level, wanting to keep a level playing field. Dick dismissed the notion of giving the masked man the eye contact he wanted.

"Not yet." Slade denied, causing a confused gasp to escape from Dick.

"But you said you would let him go."

"Indeed I did, and I will, but I still need him for insurance reasons." A hand would take a hold of Dick's chin and forced the desired eye contact. "Besides, the Bat is well aware of your Houdini act, and he'll figure out where we are if he hasn't already. We'll have to move once the tradeoff has been made official. Now, let's resume from where we've left off."

Grabbing Dick's arm and harshly brought the acrobat to his feet. A rough push would guide Dick in the direction Slade wanted him to go. Still concerned and slightly confused, Dick went along with it. Slade would guide Dick to the other side of the room, stopping him in front of a darkened screen like structure.

"As I've stated, I have made a few adjustments to our project." Deathstroke reminded. "Starting with this little doozy. Where we go from here will depend on how you respond."

Pressing a switch, a light would flash in front of them. The screen turned out to be a glass door, connecting to three brick walls. Inside was something familiar or as Dick would soon realize someone. A familiar face from his past bolting up from the floor, adjusting to the change in lighting that she found herself exposed. Dark hair and an all too familiar vigilante outfit made it a whole lot easier. Within the walls of the prison was Catalina Flores, or as Dick also knew as Tarantula.

"Now, you have a choice here." Slade stated, slipping a remote into Dick's hand. "Someone here is going to die. Will it be Damian or will it be your former colleague here, Tarantula? The choice is up to you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allow me to elaborate on this ending scene here. I had intended on throwing Tarantula in here for a while. The reason, which will be explained a little further in the next chapter, is for there to be a bit of a breaking point. Originally, I planned on having Slade mention her when he visited Dick in the hospital and then showing Dick a recording of him killing her when Dick gave himself up. However, I decided to change that so that it would have more of an impact on Dick. Also, you've probably noticed that I referred to Deathstroke as Slade here. It may not be that big of a deal since they're one and the same, but I had him referred to one or the other for the last few chapters (Chapter 16 originally had both being used interchangable, but for the sake of picking one obviously I went with Deathstroke). He will be refered to as Slade for the next two chapters, but will be referred to as Deathstroke for the climax.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deathstroke continues to manipulate Dick into make a choice while Damian tries to be the voice of reason.

"I… I don't kill." Dick distressingly stuttered, attempting to back away, only for Slade to firmly grip his shoulders. "I… I can't… I won't… How did you even find her?"

"Found her wandering the streets while I was touring Bludhaven." Slade addressed. "She was pretty willing to come along under the presumption that she'd get to see you. By the time she realize the entirety of this ruse, it was too late. And can't? More like you will. Let's not forget about our little pawn."

Still overwhelmed by Slade's declaration, Dick's attention slowly turned towards Damian. Petrified eyes met an unsettled Damian. He wasn't sure how to respond to the evidence that had just been given. Damian was under the assumption that Slade had only retrained him, not only to lure Dick out, but to make sure that he didn't escape. At the same time, Damian didn't want to discourage Dick's already shaky emotional state. Rather, Damian attempted to give Dick a relaxed expression. If he could show that it didn't bother him, then maybe it would alleviate at least some of Dick's tension.

Neither one expected that the assassin would have taken such an initiative, but both they could mentally agree that this was not going to be a pleasant ride.

"Those restraints are equipped with a potent venom based cocktail." Slade admitted, showing Dick an array of button attached to his wrist, pointing out one in particular. "If you don't kill her, this button with inject him with a lethal dose of the serum. So, what will it be?"

Dick's attention slowly turned back to the glass cell, Tarantula now locked onto him. Her dazed confusion tried to process the scene in front of her. Uncomfortable by the attention, his eyes shifted to the single buttoned controller in his hand.

"Nn… Nightwing?" Her voice recognized.

An uneasy chill soaked his nervous system at the sound of her voice. A sense of shame and discomfort welled up inside of him. Memories that he had since repressed were resurfacing as he briefly made eye contact. She looked pitiful, as though she had been in a drugged trance. She didn't look physically harmed, though Dick wouldn't be able to confirm if there was anything wrong internally. However, the lack of proper nutriment was starting to show, as her face looked bonier than usual. From this, he could deduced that she had been starved since she had arrived.

Staring back at the button, the temptation to press it began to arise as he tightened his grip on it. The lingering memories of what she had done made him wanted to press it, but the years of Bruce's teachings prevented him. It all boiled down to killing, something that Dick had never been fond of. No matter how familiar he was with the subject, no matter how many dead bodies he's seen, doing the deed was never an option. Even with everything she had done, and wanting justice for it, death was the last thing he had in mind. And given her weakened state, he couldn't help but think that killing her wouldn't be worth it.

The lack of action began to annoy Slade. Aware of Dick's moral code, Slade knew he was going to have a hard time following through. However, the fact that he was having conflict with a person who had wronged him in more ways than one was exasperating. This would definitely hinder, not only his progress, but time. With the Court of Owls making regular check-ins, they had been losing patience with him.

"Don't do it Grayson." Damian confided, recognizing the oncoming struggle. "Don't let him destroy your resolve. Don't break what Father has taught you. I will be fine."

"Shut up!" Slade boomed, pressing a different button.

An electrical shockwave would surge through Damian's agile frame. The sound of distressed groans was all that escaped him followed by Damian hunching over.

"Damian!" Dick called, jolting his attention in his brother's direction, attempting to get out of his captor.

Noting this, Slade's attention immediately turned back to Dick, securing his grip on the acrobat's upper arms. Slade wanted Dick to know he had control of the situation, keeping a cruel glare locked onto Dick. Dick would be lying if he said it didn't intimidate him, but he refused to let any more emotions spill.

"Do you want Damian to die?" Slade guilt tripped, briefly shaking the youth. "Is you're moral code more important than the life of your brother?"

"No!" Dick gasped, terror bouncing towards Slade.

"Then push the trigger."

Slowly forced to shift back around, Dick found himself making eye contact with Catalina once more. She was morbidly curious by what the scene, while Dick could only look on with dread. With Damian damaged and rendered unconcious, he had no idea how long he had to act. Both hands would find themselves firmly wrapped around the remote, but an anxious tremble did not want to hide any longer, causing Dick to hunch over and avert her gaze.

When Dick still refused to push the button, Deathstroke decided to improvise. Not wanting to physically damage the Courts prize more than necessary, mental prodding would have to be implemented.

"She doesn't deserve your mercy Richard." Slade whispered, closing the proximity between him and an open ear. "You should have heard her squawk. How she went on and on about what she did. How she killed the plague of Bludhaven and 'comforted' its angel. She even went as far as to downgrade your 'reluctance'. All the while declaring her twisted love for you in the same breath. And I thought I was cruel. Look at her." Dick robotically did as he was told. "That is the face of someone without an ounce of humanity. That cretin betrayed you, manipulated you, and defiled you and then she had the gall to try to pass it off as helping you."

Slade would 'assist' Dick, adjusting his grip so that his thumb would hover over the trigger. Damian would begin to regain consciousness. Swiftly turning his attention back to the two occupants, he wasn't sure how respond. He was relieved that Dick hadn't done anything yet, but it was dashed due to the unchanged proximity of him and the assassin, suspecting that manipulative webs were being spun.

"It's my fault." Dick quietly accepted.

"You put so much effort into teaching her and she chose to betray you." Slade whispered, releasing his grip on the acrobat. "It's not your fault. She made her choices so the blame solely falls on her. That is why you have to do this. Let's not forget about Damian either. You've spent so much time mentoring him, and he has so much to live for. Do you really want to end his life because of your densely implanted moral code?"

Dick was dumbfounded, as he found himself agreeing with Slade. Having always blamed himself for what happened that night, Dick had never once taken his own wellbeing into consideration. He never sought out any form of retribution for it, having vocally suppressed it for so long. He had even hidden it from Bruce, in fear of how he would respond. Dick had not thought much on Slade's observation before, if only to dismiss blaming Catalina for her choices and placing them on himself.

However, the way Slade phrased it, was oddly comforting. The concerned albeit manipulative sympathy was enjoyable. That small display of empathetic respect was welcoming. For the first time in a long time, he slowly started to slip away from Bruce's no kill rule. Slade picked up on this small shift, as a sly smirk escaped from him.

"Don't do it." Damian pleaded, stealing Dick's attention. "No matter what they say, you are not created for it. You're not like us, you're not crafted by bloodlust. You have a kindred soul." Damian was sympathetically eyeing Dick. "I may not know exactly what she's done to you, nor do I think that she shouldn't pay for what she's done. But what I do know is that if you kill her, you won't truly return from it."

Dick was shocked by Damian's speech, being brought back to his center. While he could understand the sentiment, Dick refused to believe that there was another way. Not when the boy's death was only one immediate tap away.

"I'm growing tired of your interfering." Slade growled. "Maybe I should kill you, cut my losses and hasten the deal."

Slade was ready to go at Damian, spiking the already chaotic pressure. In a blind panic, Dick's finger would slip, unconsciously pressing the button. Everyone would freeze as Dick's regret would be instantaneous. The unknown effects of the trigger began to unfold. The cell would take on an orange hue, as several small blaster exposed themselves around the cell.

In an instant, flames would burst out like small fiery streams, engulfing the cells occupant. Screams would soon explode, filling the room with agonizing wails. Dick would drop the controller, unable to turn his attention away. Disgusted horror refused to dissipate, as a gagging feeling trickled at the back of Dick's throat.

Hoping that it would help, hands craved Dick's ears, wanting to deafen the sound. Unfortunately, both wrists were soon captured by gloved hands. Relishing Dick's terror, Slade made sure that the acrobat took everything in. The screams, the flames, the spastic dance Catalina made, all of it. He wanted Dick to take the entirety of his 'accidental' choice in.

A ring of silence echoed as Catalina's charred body hit the floor, with it, subsiding flames. Letting Dick's wrist go, the acrobat would fall to his knees. Dick was too shocked to respond, as he continued to observe the burned remains.

"You did good." Slade praised, kneeling beside Dick. "You've been avenged, and I couldn't be more proud."

_As well as the Court my soon to be heir._ He admitted, placing a hand on the nonresponsive youth's back.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason decides to make a move in to make up for Dick and Damian's disappearance. All the while, Slade confines Dick sharing a few choice words.

"How's it going?" Jason inquired, returning to the Bat Cave.

"Getting there." Tim admitted, turning his attention away from the computer. "Haven't fully untangled the virus, but I'm almost there."

"I think I might have something that will help."

A small metallic appliance flew at Tim. Briefly bouncing it, Tim was able to get a secure grip on it. Upon inspecting it, he was a little puzzled by what Jason had given him.

"His phone?"

"Yeah. When I stormed off earlier, I went back to Dick's room. I thought I'd do a little investigating, in case he left something behind. Found that on his bed. I figured he left it behind so that we couldn't contact him. That or he thought we could somehow track him. I want to know if he might have deleted a message, or something, that prompted his desertion. Are you smart enough to test my theory?"

Tim couldn't help but smirk in amusement.

"You insult me." He joked.

Turning his attention back to the computer, Tim began his new challenge. Using a spare USB cord, he latched the phone to it. Opening up a new window, Tim began to work his magic. After several minutes, Tim was able to pull up a list of deleted messages. The most current was one that was received minutes prior to the discovering Dick's empty room. Expanding the message, they were both greeted by a map and Slade's threatening message. They both absorbed the location presented to them.

"How much longer is Bruce going to be out?" Jason questioned.

"Not much longer." Tim stated. "There weren't any breakouts from Arkham. Apparently it's their monthly poker night to see who gets extra free time for the next month. He just finished stopping a bank robbery a little while ago and is helping locating and apprehending some small time drug dealers. Should take about a half hour, forty five minutes at most. "

"Good."

Adjusting his jacket, Jason made his way towards Dick's unoccupied motorcycle.

"What are you doing?" Tim shockingly inquired, bolting up from his chair.

"What does it look like? I'm getting a head start. Do not tell Bruce until he gets back."

Tim immediately approached Jason, preventing him from getting on the vehicle.

"But he doesn't want us to acting on this without him. Don't be irrational."

"I'm not being irrational. I'm trying to get a head start. If I can get there now, I may be able to buy enough time to get at least one of them out."

"I can't let you do that. We can devise a plan, but you have to wait for Bruce."

"I can't wait any longer. For all we know, Damian could be dead and Dick a victim to Slade's abuse."

Hands were firmly gripped onto Tim's upper arms at that point. Tim was taken aback by the gesture, concerned eyes focusing on Jason's. He may have looked serious, but Tim could tell that Jason was scared and guilt stricken.

"Take me with you." Tim offered.

"I can't do that Tim." Jason bitterly admitted. "Someone has to stay behind for Bruce. Plus, if something were to happen to you, I couldn't live with myself."

There was a moment of silence as Tim took in Jason's declaration. This kind of concern was admirable, but uncommon. He appreciated Jason's concern for him, but the fact that Jason was jumping to such a conclusion was troubling. Tim just knew that Damian wasn't dead, knowing that they would have heard something about Damian being killed by now, but he knew that his word would only go so far. Jason would have to see it for himself, and he knew there was no talking him out of it.

"Okay. I'll stay. We will be right behind you. Just be careful."

"No promises."

~

Slade guided Dick down several hallways. The burden of what had happened muted Dick, and the weight of it only dropped further after seeing Damian's shocked yet concerned face when leaving the room. Dick couldn't look him, regardless of the fact that they both shared anxiety for the other, too ashamed of what he had done.

Dick would be strongly shoved into an empty room. Unable to get proper footing, he would trip forward, face smacking the floor. The only sounds coming from Dick was a small hiss as he sat himself up on his knees. He kept his back to Slade, knowing that he wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

The light clicking of the door closing sounded off followed by footsteps. Securing a spot, Slade sat in front of Dick, who refused want to make eye contact. Rather, his attention fell on the opened palms of his hands, fingers slightly curled.

"The first kill is always the most difficult," Slade calmly admitted, placing a hand on his shoulder, "but it gets better with time."

Dick didn't respond, not wanting to invalidate Slade's statement. He didn't want to think that Slade was referring to him, so much as Slade stating a fact from his own personal experience.

"You should be proud that you got justice."

"Let him go." Dick quietly pleaded, changing the subject ever so slightly. "You've gotten the results you wanted. You don't need to keep him here."

"Can't. As much as I'd like to leave him behind and move us to another safe house, I have yet to hear from our partners."

"Partners?"

"Indeed. I've encountered your family business. How could you not tell me about your ties to the Court?"

A surprised gasp escaped from Dick, finally looking at the man. The only people to know about his genetic ties to the Court of Owls were Bruce, Damian, and maybe Alfred. Not to mention the undead presence that was his great grandfather, who was his connection to it. Unmasked eyes watched in amusement at Dick's slowly progressing realization.

"They came to me, wanting you. They're paying quite the price for such an out of shape heirloom."

Dick started coming to a morbid realization. The context of the ordeal was finally starting to come together.

"Yes, I'm destroying you for them. Or so they think."

A glare of confusion was sent to Slade.

"I'm giving you to them, that much is certain, but I'm the one who's going to own you. This ordeal is to shape you into the killer you were born to be."

"No!" Dick argued, throwing a punch at the assassin.

It would land squarely on Slade's face. Though physically unfazed by the strike, Slade wasn't going to let him get away with it. Getting on his feet, Slade yanked Dick, a hand firmly gripped around Dick's neck. Dick wouldn't get much of a chance to think before a fist would harshly collide with his stomach. Dick was at a loss for breath as Slade threw him back down to the floor. Dick attempted to push himself up, using his hands and knees for help, when Slade's foot stomped down on the back of his head, knocking him back down.

"Do you really think they'll want to take you back?" Slade inquired. "Do you think they'll take a murderer back?"

"Are you really going to call me a murderer after you just praised me for justly killing Catalina?" Dick growled.

"Oh, I think it was justified, but do you think they will? You saw that brat's face. He was terrified by what you've done. I can only imagine what your other predecessors would think." A sarcastic gasp escaped Slade. "What would the Bat say?"

Dick gasped, startled by his notion. Removing his foot, Slade knelt down beside Dick.

"He's not going to want you. Justified or not, he's not going to want a killer in his home. It's bad enough he's got to reform the disowned al Gul and the trigger happy zombie. But now that his precious golden boy has killed, he's going to be heartbroken. You'll be disowned, banished from the family, never to be heard from again."

"That's not true." Dick groaned.

"You say that now, but you failed to find a third option and that's all he needs. We both know that he'll never look at you the same, and neither will you. They will all look to you with fear and disgust. You were their hope, their role model, their heart, and now, you're a disappointment to them Richard. You don't belong there anymore."

Standing up, Slade decided to temporarily part ways with Dick, stopping at the door for a moment.

"Now if you don't mind, I've got a child that needs to be punished for his disrespect."

"Leave him alone!" Dick demanded, immediately standing up.

"Not after what he's done. However, I will leave you with this."

Pressing two buttons attached to the remote on his wrist, a sound would soon be played with in the confines of the room. The sounds of electrical currents and screams plagued the room. With Dick now in a state of guilt driven distain, Slade proudly exited the room, locking it along the way.

Bruce would arrive after a half an hour, just like Tim had predicted. Upon exiting the Batmobile, he was greeted by a map on the screen and an anxious Tim staring at him.

~

"What's this?" Bruce asked.

"Where we'll find Dick and Damian." Tim shakily answered.

Bruce was surprised, looking at the map, noticing the red beacon.

"How long ago did you find this?"

"Thirty minutes ago."

Hands clamped onto Tim's shoulders in a panic, alarmed by Tim's procrastination.

"Why did you contact me?"

Biting his lip, Tim didn't want to answer. His guilt was evident, prompting Bruce to ease his demeanor. The last thing he wanted to do was rattle Tim up any more than he already was.

"What's wrong Tim?"

"Jason went after them. He wanted to get a head start."

Bruce's grip tightened, anger and anxiety reeling from inside. One more missing child was the last thing he wanted. A small pained gasp slipped from Tim, prompting Bruce to lighten his hold on him.

"I'm sorry." Bruce apologized.

"It's alright." Tim sighed.

"H… He's just being hardheaded, and it's infuriating. Why did he have to do this?"

"To make up for letting Damian and Dick slipping through the cracks."

Bruce would release Tim and head back the Batmobile. Not wanting to be left behind, Tim would trot behind him.

"You're not coming." Bruce tried to stop.

"Bruce, I'm tired of staying behind." Tim admitted. "I want to come with you."

Tim's desire emanated off of him. While he could say that he was being helpful, he wanted to get out, to help release Damian and Dick and support the other members of his family that he cared for. Bruce could see this, and knew there was no way he could waver his stance.

"Fine."

Hopping in to the car, they both sped off to the location that they had been given, hoping to get there before it was too late.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason makes it to Deathstroke's hideout and after encountering Damian, he has to deal with the outcome of what Dick's been through.

Hiding the motorcycle in a nearby alley, Jason found himself a block away from the building in question. Several thoughts came to him as he approached the building. The first being where he found Dick almost two weeks ago. Having passed the alleyway Jason found Dick occupying, an intrigued sense of pride sprouted at the fact that Dick managed to get three blocks down with busted bones and bleeding before collapsing. Not dwelling on it longer, Jason began to observe the building, looking for a good spot to sneak in. He noticed a window left slightly ajar. Whether it be a spur of the moment idea or a sign that this was where Dick snuck in from, Jason took the opportunity he had been given.

~

Stealthily and silently, Jason started to investigate the halls. Not knowing where Slade could be hiding or what he would find, Jason was hastily observant. After scanning a few vacant rooms, a light from an opened room caught his attention. He quickly made his way over, studying the room.

The lack of Slade was ideal, but the sight of a cuffed Damian only made the scene more stressful. Wanting to help, Jason worked his way over to Damian, who was alarmed by the sight.

"What are you doing here?" Damian quietly hissed.

"What does it look like?" Jason sarcastically replied, clawing at the restraints. "Getting you out. Where's Dick?"

"Slade confined him. Where's father?"

"He'll be here soon enough."

Jason was starting to get annoyed with the restraints, not having the patience to take his time. Damian knew he had to say something.

"Go get Grayson."

"I can't leave you. Look were that got me the last time."

"I well aware of what happened Todd. What did you expect? I am my father's son and I do not like being told what to do, but right now that's not important. You need to get Grayson while Deathstroke's bartering his life."

Jason stopped what he was doing, staring at Damian with confusion.

"What do you mean 'bartering'?"

"The Court of Owls has a bounty on Grayson's head, and Deathstroke accepted it."

"Why?"

"They want their legacy and Deathstroke wants an heir. They want a killer, and they're willing to condemn Grayson to get one."

Taking a step back, Jason glared at Damian. The news that Dick's life had been reduced to an unwilling pawn was appalling. While words like legacy and heir were particularly intriguing. Slade wanting an heir wasn't new, seeing as he hasn't been all that invested in training his children, but why Damian choose the word 'legacy' for the Court of Owls' part was questionable. Especially with his knowledge on the group was pretty basic.

"There are some things that father, Grayson, and I haven't been entirely opened about," Damian admitted, picking up on Jason's curiosity, "for personal reasons. That can be a discussion you can have with Grayson later. Right now, let's not forget, there are more pressing matters that need your attention. Look, I'll be fine, he wants to keep me alive as bait. Go. Get. Grayson."

Knowing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Jason started to back away from Damian.

"Bruce will be here soon." Jason promised, inching towards the doorway.

"I know. I don't know where he took Grayson, but look for a locked door."

Jason nodded at the instruction.

"Wait!" Damian ordered, stopping Jason at the doorway. "You need to know something."

"What?"

"Go easy on him. Grayson is emotionally apprehensive." Damian glared at the now vacant glass cage. "He just killed a person."

Jason was floored by Damian's declaration. Dick killing someone was unheard of. He killed someone. Jason tried to wrap his head around. _What prompted this?_ Leaning on the doorframe, he let it set in.

"I don't know who she was or what she did to him, but Deathstroke pinned Grayson into it. Said he should get justice unless he wanted me dead. I don't doubt that he's abused that opportunity once he's sealed Grayson off. He's probably pretty rattled, so show some compassion."

Snapping out of his thought, Jason understood Damian's suggestion. Being in a state of emotional distress was never a pleasant experience with Dick, but it did need proper handling.

"Got it."

Bolting out of the room, Jason began his new search.

~

He wasn't sure which hallways he went down or how many doors he had checked, but Jason still had yet to find Dick's prison. After a few minutes, he would soon find himself outside a closed door that would look eerily suspicious. Quietly approaching it, he would lightly tap on the handle. When it didn't budge, Jason could tell he found the right room. Squatting down, he pulled out a few lock picking items from his pocket. Keenly focusing on the lock, he was able to manipulate it to his advantage.

"Dick!" Jason yelled, throwing the door open.

Squeezed near one of the corners on the other side of the room, Dick was horrified by Jason's presence. Jason's observation didn't help alleviate his own anxiety either. New signs of physical damage scattered all over Dick's body. A bruise on one cheek and a bloodied slit on the other were the only visible ones, but what remained hidden, be it internal or beneath clothing, was a concern that Jason knew he didn't have the time to survey.

"You can't be here." Dick anxiously stated, attempting to back himself further. "You should be saving Damian. Not me. Not the traitor."

"Take it easy." Jason calmly stated, not wanting to rattle him. "You're not a traitor."

Not wanting to rile Dick up more, Jason slowly started to approach him. Dick, however, did not like that choice of movement.

"Get away!"

Jason paused for a moment, briefly granting his request, but would immediately resumed his stride. Along the way, he felt something slide underneath his foot. Inspecting the debris, Jason realized that two photos where trying to hide underneath his foot. Both showed the charred remains from what he deduced was a girl's body. He didn't need to be told who it was or the reason behind them.

Guilt and horror plastered itself over Dick's face, realizing that Jason had put the pieces together, while unspoken sympathy came from Jason. The urge to move refused to dissipate, as Jason resumed his plan. As the gap between them continued to shrink, Dick attempted to worm around Jason. Jason on the other hand, wouldn't allow it, as he forced Dick as to the corner of the room. Arms would wrap around Dick's shoulders, startling him.

"Let me go!" Dick screamed, as he tried to push away.

Jason silently refused his demands. He knew that if he let Dick go, there was a good chance he would bolt off and find himself taking another beating from Slade head on. So he let Dick squirm, as he murmured unclear garble. Jason could only wonder what was going through Dick mind as his mind shuffled with what was going on around them. He knew well enough that they couldn't stay for long. Have to go. Jason reminded himself, wishing he could properly handle the situation, as Dick's fighting began to cease. This is not the time to take care of this in its entirety.

"We got to go." Jason stated, lightening his grip on Dick. "Bruce is probably here now, and more than likely has Damian."

"No!" Dick loudly responded, pushing Jason back a little. "I refuse to go back to Bruce, not after what I've done. He would never take me back. He's going to hate me."

Dick's anxiety would spike, not prepared for what was provided to him. A hand would jolt the side of Dick's face. It wasn't enough to cause any harm, but it did startle Dick enough to cause him to freeze up. Hands would then clamp onto his shoulders.

"Now is not the time to have an episode. Do you know how worried we all are? Not only has Damian insisted that I get you out of here, but I just snuck in here to get you knowing that Bruce, who might I add is probably pissed that I did this, is on his way. I'd be more concerned with what he'd want to do with Slade because of what he's done to you."

"But I murdered someone."

"Do you really think he'll care? It's not like you planned for this, and given the circumstances, you were not in the right state of mind." Jason's grip would tighten. "I may not know the situation in its entirety, but from what I can tell, he backed you into a corner and took advantage of it. You can hate yourself for as long as you want, but now is not the time."

Dick was speechless, not prepared to respond, terror still overshadowing reason.

"Let's go home."

Part of Dick wanted to accept Jason's plea, he really did. The thought of an escape was an appreciated one. However, he was petrified by the potential results. The fear of who would die next and the paranoia of when he would be forcefully retrieved plagued his mind.

"But he'll…"

"Don't worry about what he might do, we're not going to let anything happen to you."

Jason's proclamation was comforting, maybe not a definitive guarantee, but comforting all the same. Knowing that he'd have to make a decision, regardless of his insecure assumption, Dick gave a nod for approval. Jason instantly shifted his grip to just one of Dick's arms and quickly pulled him along the way before he had the chance to change his mind.

~

Jason dragged Dick down several halls, trying to remember which one he came down. The sound of a brawl caught his attention. They both had their suspicions as to who it was, but Jason pulled Dick in the direction of the ruckus anyways, in the hope that he could display his achievement.

Entering a large room, lit up by the screen of a computer. Batman and Deathstroke were duking it out while Tim and Damian watched. Tim was the first to notice his elders, not uttering a word. He only gave an attentive nod in their direction. Damian, on the other hand, would spontaneously go with a vocal stimuli, not thinking about the repercussions.

"Get him out of here!" Damian loudly ordered.

The battle would come to a halt as both Batman and Deathstroke gave the once unnoticed duo attention. Shock and awe would take flow off of Batman, secretly relieved that Jason had gotten Dick, while Deathstroke was infuriated. His expression didn't go unnoticed as Dick froze in fear, which in turn prevented Jason from continuing on. There wouldn't be any time to dwell on it as Deathstroke threw several small explosive in their direction.

"Crap!" Jason cursed, immediately throwing Dick behind him in an attempt to shield him.

The explosive would pop, pelting them with fire and debris. While Jason would take the brunt of the damage, Dick wasn't completely unscathed as they both collapsed. Dick would force himself onto his knees as he inspected the damage done to Jason.

"I'm fine." Jason groaned, slowly working his way into a sitting position.

"And here I thought we were making progress." Deathstroke admitted, slowly approaching them. "You were beginning to accept your predicament, only needing one or two small pushes if necessary."

"Get away from him." Batman ordered.

"But I guess you still need harsher punishments for your disobedience."

"Get out of here." Jason demanded.

Attempting to get on his feet, Dick would only get far. The sound of a gunshot would blast everyone's eardrums.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's going to stick on this here cliffhanger until chapter 23. You'll just have to wait until then.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and Tim make it to Deathstroke's base of operations and after Deathstroke shares a few secrets, a battle ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll notice that I shift from Bruce to Batman in this chapter. That's mostly because of the face that this does lead up to the climax and I wanted to refer to Bruce as Batman for the fight. I've also already went from Slade tot Deathstroke for the same reason. It's worth mentioning that I will be referring to Tim by his name and not Red Robin and not referring to Damian as Robin. The former because Tim mostly because he won't be part of the fight. He also doesn't have as much focus on him. In Damian's case, while he may be in uniform, I feel like it would be a little redundant to refer to him as Robin now. Also, in case I forgot to mention (or just to reiterate) I am not the best at fighting scenes.

The tires of the Batmobile would race atop of the streets of Gotham as Bruce plowed towards the coordinates given to him by Tim. If he had eaten, Tim was positive that he would have resurfaced his dinner at the speed Bruce was going. The entire trip had been relatively quiet, Bruce was in an even worse mood than usual and Tim did not wish to agitate him more by trying to lighten the mood. However, he would have liked Bruce to at least discuss a plan of attack.

It wouldn't take long for them to come to a halt in front of the building they were looking for. Bruce would silently stomp out of the vehicle, as he headed straight for the door.

"Stop." Tim ordered, as he exited the Batmobile.

Bruce halted, allowing Tim to catch up with him.

"Shouldn't we find a way to sneak in from?"

"No." Bruce quickly denied. "He could be expecting that."

"You don't know that. He could be caught up doing something."

"It doesn't matter Tim. Jason's wormed his way in there, and who knows if he has been discovered or if he, Damian or even Dick have been compromised. We can't afford to take any more precautions."

Kicking the doors open, Bruce granted access to his sons' prison. He and Tim were greeted by a darkened corridor. Bruce returned to a determined silence as Tim anxiously trotted next to him.

The eerie silence of the factory like structure was unsettling. The unhinged cuffs in a now vacant room caught Batman's attention, quickly realizing that it was the room that Slade had made his video call from. A sigh of disdain escaped Bruce, having hoped that Damian would have been there. Not only did it prolong the search, but concern for his youngest hiked ever so slightly.

The glow of a pale blue hue caught their attention. Choosing to look into it, they both entered the room. Responses would be immediate as an unsurprised Deathstroke stood near the broad monitor with Damian close at hand. Taking in the imprinted scars that he had received.

"Welcome." Deathstroke calmly greeted. "We've been expecting you." Deathstroke pushed Damian in their direction. "As agreed, one demon brat." They all watched as Damian made his way to his father's side. "You're free to go."

Batman didn't budge. Even with Damian returned to him, he was not about to leave empty handed.

"Not without Dick."

"There's no need to worry about Richard." Deathstroke smugly admitted, crossing his arms as he leaned against the computer monitor. "Remember, he did hand himself over, and as such, he belongs to me. Frankly, I'd soon forget about your former ward."

"Not going to happen."

"Really? Not even after he's spilled blood?"

Barely fazed by his statement physically, Batman had to admit the statement was disturbingly intriguing. Damian however, had an inkling as to what Deathstroke was fishing for, and didn't like it.

"What are you talking about?"

"This."

Pressing a button, the screen displayed a video. The presentation of Dick fearfully toyed with a device in his hand and a dazed female was engrossing to Tim and Batman, while Damian dreaded what he knew was going to happen. Batman was uneasily pleased that he showed signs of shaken resistance, but as Deathstroke closed his and Dick's proximity, that notion was dashed. He hated it, but the following sequence of events would worsen it.

Everything would occur immediately. Damian's plea for Dick to refuse Deathstroke's command prompted by the assassin's threat which would lead to Dick sporadically press the trigger. Tim and Batman were mortified when the cell lit up. The woman's scream would burn into their eardrums, and while Tim forced himself to look away, Batman would watch on as the burning body would drop dead. He didn't want to believe what he had witnessed, but it couldn't be denied.

Anger and sympathy refused to go away. Batman couldn't deny that he was upset at what Dick did, but he knew it wasn't entirely intentional, and he could only imagine what Dick was doing to himself psychologically by what he did.

Getting the response that he wanted, Deathstroke would close the video out. Batman expression was stern, no sign of any emotion.

"You spent years training him, teaching him not to kill, and look what happens." Deathstroke noted, standing up. "When backed into a corner, he will kill. You're heart has been defiled and neither of you will let him live it down. Such a shame. With all of your other failures, I wouldn't blame you for abandoning him. Though to be honest, that's not the worst of it."

Deathstroke would start moving, bringing himself parallel to them.

"No. The worst is that he was forced to do this because you failed to properly investigate his mental health after the death of Blockbuster."

Batman silently inquired his accusation.

"That pile of rotting carcass tainted your child moments after killing that man. She made love to Richard while he was in an emotionally compromised state. At the same time, she tried to justify it as love even when he said no."

They were all floored by the proclamation. Not having heard this part of Dick's implied acquaintanceship irked Damian. Now, even with the sympathy for Dick, Damian bitterly found himself applauding the situation. He hated the notion that he was agreeing with Deathstroke's methods.

Tim on the other hand, was disgusted by the information. He wanted to deny that something so horrendous would happen to Dick. He knew that Dick could, and more than likely had, hidden a number of his traumas, but the fact that he had buried something that traumatic was unheard of.

The worst hit was Batman. He began to recall the situation that Deathstroke had unintentionally made reference to. The lecture he had given Dick a good month or so after Blockbuster's death resurfaced. Recalling a damaged and exhausted Dick in the Cave discussing how he felt returned. Now knowing that Dick was hiding something so traumatic was like a punch to the gut. Any resentment for Dick's accidental decision were dashed as a sinking feeling weighed down inside of him.

"Do you want to know what else I was able to drag out of Richard about the subject? He didn't want to tell you about it. Especially after he already had to handle you're lecture about how he should have done the situation differently. He was destroyed by the situation, and he didn't want to add to the burden by bringing it up. You ignored his subconscious cry for help in exchange for a lesson about letting someone die."

Batman would slowly begin approach Deathstroke, anger squaring directly at the assassin. The effects of his taunts became more triggering.

"I can't believe he still looks up to you after that. It doesn't matter now though. I'm taking care of him now."

A fist would pound the side of Deathstroke's face. While he would stumble over from the impact, the assassin didn't appear all that bothered by it.

"What's the matter?" Deathstroke sarcastically inquired. "Mad? Disappointed? Ashamed?"

"I won't tell you again. Let. Him. Go."

"Not a chance."

Deathstroke would return the hit, briefly knocking Batman off balance. Batman wouldn't be down for long, as their battle continued.

Tim and Damian would evade them in an attempt to get out of the way. Damian would attempt to join the fight, when Tim's hand hovered in front of him. Without uttering a word, Tim was able to persuade Damian to stay out in order for his father to handle it on his own, knowing that Batman had to do this on his own.

Deathstroke was overjoyed by the battle. The heated aggression from Batman was refreshing, especially since his emotional turmoil wasn't slowing him down. One of his blades would collide with the vigilante's gauntlets, causing a temporary standstill.

"Why Dick?" Batman growled. "Why are you so obsessed with him?"

"Because I want to corrupt the incorruptible." Deathstroke admitted, kicking Batman, knocking him back. "You may have molded him into a worth adversary, but he will never reach his full potential with the moral directory you've forced him into. Which is why I'm taking your place as his mentor."

"He's not you're pawn."

Batman lunged at the assassin. Deathstroke blocked an oncoming hit. Both men would get in a few hits as well as dodging a few blows.

Deathstroke would knock Batman to the ground. Utilizing one of his swords once more, aiming for Batman's throat. Grabbing the blade, Batman held the blade, forcing it to stay in place.

"You want to know the best part about this?" Deathstroke prodded. "When I kill you, he'll know that you died hating him. And when I pass him over to the Court of Owls, they'll shape him into the killer we know he can be."

"No."

Batman kicked Deathstroke off of him, briefly disregarding his reference. Once Deathstroke was off of him, Batman let the term Court of Owls sink in. The fact that Deathstroke proclaimed an alliance with them, was enough to hike his aggression as he went in for another blow.

~

Several minutes of determined fighting had gone by when something moving caught the attention of Tim and Damian. It didn't take long for them to realize that it was Jason, dragging along Dick. Tim was relieved to see that Dick wasn't as horrible damaged physically as Jason noticed them. Giving a nod, Tim would let him know that they had been acknowledged.

Damian on the other hand was annoyed. The fact that Jason had brought Dick to the one place that he shouldn't be, to him was an irritation. Without much thought, Damian went into a lecture mode.

"Get him out of here!" Damian ordered.

This would ultimately direct unwanted attention to the elder former Robins. Seeing Dick was an anxious relief for Batman, knowing that there was going to be a lot to dismantle. He was thankful that Jason had released him, but the fact that he had brought him there was troubling considering how the situation played out.

Deathstroke was infuriated. He had hoped that Dick would have refused to go along. The fact that Dick still had enough hope to escape wasn't a desired result. Deathstroke wasn't about to let Jason swipe his protégé either. Grabbing a handful of spherical explosives, he threw them in the duo's direction.

They would light up, knocking them over. Deathstroke would approach them.

"And here I thought we were making progress." Deathstroke observed. "You were beginning to accept your predicament, only needing one or two small pushes if necessary."

"Get away from him." Batman angrily demanded, not liking Deathstroke's malice implication.

"But I guess you still need harsher punishments for your disobedience"

"Get out of here!" Jason ordered.

That would be the last thing any of them would hear before the explosive debris of a gunshot.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After shooting his intended target and subduing Dick, Deathstroke doesn't plan on stopping so long as he completely breaks Dick's psyche.

"Bruce!" Dick horrifically screeched, not caring that he used his actual name.

A bullet ripped through Batman's shoulder blade, blood trickling from it. Hunching over, with little to no change in emotion, he wouldn't have much time to react before another two bullets were injected into both thighs. A gasp would escape from Dick as Batman fell over, his back slamming against the floor as blood continued pouring out from the open wounds. Tim bolted over to Batman, with Damian not too far behind. Hands would attempt to stop the bleeding as they tried to think of other ways to stop the bleeding.

Jason's attention targeted Dick's mannerisms, knowing that this wasn't a positive state of affairs. It didn't take much for him to know what Dick was itching to do. Dick's frightened shaking with wide eyes glued onto the bleeding vigilante could only mean that one thing was on his mind. He was afraid, and he wanted to run over to help. Quickly yet carefully standing up, he grabbed Dick's wrist.

"Don't do it." Jason told. "That's just what he wants."

Dick didn't show that he heard the demand, as he tore his arm out of Jason's grip. He wanted to assist Batman, not caring about the consequences.

Pulling out the other blade, Deathstroke would jam both into the center of Dick's feet. A crude scream of pain escaped from him. Awkwardly falling to his knees, with hands helping to keep him balanced, Dick's vision would be clouded by the well bit frame of Deathstroke. He would take a wad of hair in his hand and shoved Dick's head down. A dull slamming sound echoed as a hiss of pain escaped Dick. Deathstroke held his head down, resisting Dick's motion to move.

Jason was pissed. He was ready to start a fight, but he wouldn't be able to get two steps in. A bullet would briskly skim the side of his leg, tearing part of the fabric and enough layers of skin to draw blood. His knee would catch his stumbled over.

"Jason!" Dick frantically called, managing to get his head up a bit before being shoved back down.

Tim and Damian chose to watch. As much as they wanted to help, they couldn't leave Bruce in his condition. Thinking of a plan, Damian started to rip apart pieces of his cape. As he handed a piece to Tim, he knew exactly what his successor had in mind and began working, tightly tying one around one leg.

All the while Batman was trying not to slip into unconsciousness. Due to the blood loss, he didn't have the energy to move. That would not, however, prevent the amount of emotional distress he found plaguing him. The sound of Dick's screams of pain, the dull banging sound of his skull against the metallic floor, and the smell of a smoking gun was disturbing. He hated not being able to assist, but he knew there wasn't anything he could do.

Batman would begin to bounce in and out of consciousness thanks to the amount of the blood he had already lost. Noticing this, Damian started talking him in an attempt to keep him awake, mostly just calling out his title and small conversational nonsense.

"Look what you've done." Deathstroke lectured. "I trusted you Richard, and you try to run away. Not only have you made me cut his struggle short and now you've forced me diminish your value. Now they have to wait to train you." Pulling Dick's head up, he forced the youth to look him in the eye. "I'm not done punishing you yet. When I'm done, there won't be any hope left."

Smashing Dick's face back onto the ground, Deathstroke departed from him. He would approach Tim, who was tying a piece of Damian's cap around Batman's leg wound. A hard kick would hit the teen in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him before he even had the chance to secure the bandage on the other leg. He would roll slightly in the direction that the kick had intended.

"I think I'll start with Timothy." Deathstroke declared, cocking the gun and pointed it at his head as Tim slowly sat back up. "He's done nothing, so his torment deserves to be brief. Then Damian, since his purpose has concluded. Since Jason has decided to release you, he'll go next. And if by some miracle, Bruce I still alive, I'll place a bullet between his eyes."

"No!" Dick screamed. An agonizing groan escaped as he tried to pull away from the restraints. "Leave them out of this! I'll listen. I won't leave. Just leave them out of this."

"It's too late to bargain Richard."

Dick's pleading would continue, terrified to lose another person he held dear. Tim's eyes would close, with the barrel of the gun resting on the back of his head, he didn't wish to witness the inevitable. The sound of another gunshot would silence his cries. Time froze, as a hand slowly cupped over Dick's mouth. Tim's eyes slowly began to creep open as confused curiosity entered his mind as the gun left the back of his skull.

Rolling around, Tim would notice what had happened. A small bullet wound could be seen protruding through Deathstroke's chest. A shutter surged through him before falling backwards. It take much for them to realize that the assassin was dead. Tim would crawl back to Batman, ready to resume any assistance he could.

Standing on the other side of the room, Jason silently stood there, while small amounts of smoke escaped from his gun. He would slowly drop it down and return it to its holster before stepping towards Dick. Dick was motionless as he crouched down beside him.

"It's okay." Jason whispered, getting an overview of the situation.

Dick didn't respond.

"Todd!" Damian called out, approaching them. "Take this." 

He tore off the rest of his cape and handed it to Jason.

"Thanks. How's Bruce?"

"We've got him bandaged, but his pulse is faint."

Even with a slight panic, Jason knew he had to make a quick decision.

"Look, I've got Dick handled. You and Tim have to get him out of here and fast. Call Alfred and get him back to the Cave."

"We're not leaving you."

"There's not time to argue Damian. Bruce is dying. If you want him to live, you have to leave now!"

Damian was flabbergasted. He wanted to stay with them, but he knew Jason had a point.

"I'll be right behind you." Jason promised.

Damian scoffed, knowing that he wouldn't get any farther with the argument with what little unknown amount of time they had.

"Fine."

Running back towards Tim and his father, he helped carefully get Batman to his feet. Using both himself and Tim as support, they dragged Batman out of the building.

Turning his attention back to Dick, Jason lightly tapped his face to get his attention. He still didn't respond, too engrossed in the situation in front of him.

"I'm going to take these out." Jason stated, getting a good look at the blades. "This may hurt."

Firmly gripping one of the swords, Jason quickly pulled it out in an attempt to decrease the amount of damage. Dick remained unfazed, causing Jason to pause for a moment in an attempt to make sure he was alright. When Dick didn't give any more of a response, he would rip off part of the leftover cape and tied it around his foot.

"Okay, one down." Jason prepped.

Grabbing the other blade, Jason repeated the process. Dick allowed a small breath to escape this time around, leaning forward as Jason bound his other foot. Jason didn't say anything, knowing that Dick was still processing everything.

"He's dead." Dick whispered.

"Yeah." Jason agreed. "It's over."

With the shock now subsided, an agonizing wail poured out of Dick. Fear, guilt, and an undesired sense of relief drained from his frame as tears bleed from his eyes. Burying his face into Jason's shirt, he shared his damp gift.

Accepting that they wouldn't be moving anytime soon, not that he cared all that much, Jason draped his arms around Dick's shoulders. A hand gently glided through Dick's ebony hair in an attempt to calm him down while Jason didn't utter a word.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medical treatment is given and Dick gets some emotional support. The concluding chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before getting to the last chapter I just want to say thank you for everyone who has read this story. I also want to thank everyone who's followed, Kudoed and commented on this story as I do appreciate it.

"You said you were going to be right behind us." Damian annoyingly reminded, visible bandages covering his face, as Jason pulled into the cave.

"Didn't think it would be wise for me to move him while he was having a shock induced panic attack." Jason bluntly admitted, slowly getting off of the motorcycle while keeping a hold on an unconscious Dick.

Damian would roll his eyes as he returned his attention to Alfred and his father as Jason brought Dick to the other opened medical bed. The sounds of a heart monitor proved that Bruce was alive, but struggling. The bleeding had thankfully stopped, as he was latched onto a bag transferring blood back into Bruce. His mask and the upper portion of his uniform had been properly removed. Engrossed in the removal of the bullet wounds, Alfred had no time to react to Dick's condition.

Jason started to untie one of Dick's feet, promptly removing the blood stained socks. The wounds themselves looked terrible. While Jason had certainly seen worse, the opened wounds dug deep just barely showing the bone and dried blood painted around it was less than pleasant.

"Stitches and bandages are over there." Alfred stated, blindly pointing in the direction of the items in question. "Braces are in the cabinet."

Tim beat Jason to the punch, handing him the material before returning to Alfred's side. Slowly but carefully Jason proceeded to stitch up both sides of his foot. After cleaning the area up with a damp rag, he would wrap the foot up and secure it with a foot brace. He would repeat the process with the other foot, but bandaged it up a little more in the event the ankle had received any additional stress. Jason couldn't help but feel grateful that Dick was unconscious during the process. There was no flinching, no twitching, and not attempts to run away. All of which would only hinder the process had that been the case.

Trusting that he would be out for a while, Jason leave Dick to rest, as he went to Bruce's side to help if need be. With both of the bullets now removed from his legs and the wounds properly treated, Alfred only had to worry about the one that entered through the shoulder.

The heart monitor would spike as Alfred got closer to the bullet, shocking everyone. Keenly tuning out the stressed beeping, Alfred continued to pry for the metallic debris. Stress in the other three participants increased at the sound, hoping that he wouldn't flat line at any moment. The tweezer like instrument would eventually get a grasp of it and Alfred carefully dragged it out. A sigh of relief filled the room as the heart monitor went to a normal ringing. Setting the bullet with the others, he would then lean and stitch up the wound.

"Wrap him." Alfred demanded, taking a step back to allow Damian and Tim to wrap his wound.

"You did good." Jason stated, placing a hand on the butler's shoulder.

"Thank you. Now all we have to do is wait."

~

A well-rested yawn would fill the room as consciousness would enter the Batcave. Subconsciously stretching out, Dick would start to adjust to the world around him. Focusing on what was in front of him, a clearer image of a relaxed Bruce sitting across from him started to form. Having woken up not long prior, Bruce's gaze was peacefully relieved as he observed Dick.

"Good morning kiddo." Bruce greeted.

Alarmed by the realization of where he was, Dick bounced up and attempted to move back, catching himself before he stumbled over the other side of the bed. The throbbing pain in his feet surged, causing Dick to notice his encased bones.

His attention to it was short lived, as everyone had become an unintentional obstacle as he tried to frantically wrap his head around the situation. Even with everyone just a good distance from his bedding, the thought of getting passed them was going to be tricky. He wasn't where he thought he deserved to be, and he was afraid of the potential outcome.

"No." Dick wearily gasped. "I shouldn't be here."

The display troubled Bruce to say the least, but having been briefed on Dick's mental state prior to his awakening. It may have been expected, but that was not to say that Dick's frantic display wasn't any less heartbreaking.

"Told you he wouldn't be reasonable." Jason pointed out.

"Shut up." Damian ordered.

"Dick it's okay." Tim tried to comfort, taking a step towards Dick's bed.

"Stay away!" Dick squeaked.

A hand would pop out as Bruce gestured for Tim to stop to which Tim silently listened to. The last thing that either wanted to do was cause more of a panic, but something had to be done and, in Bruce's mind, that responsibility would not fall on Tim.

"I've got this." Bruce proclaimed, shuffling around to where his legs were dangling from the side.

"Master Bruce, need I remind you that your condition is no better off than his." Alfred reminded.

"This needs to be addressed."

Bruce would slowly slip off of the hospital like furniture, and carefully started to stroll towards Dick. He dragged around a stool, using it as support and in the event he needed it.

"No!" Dick whined, slowly bringing his injured feet closer. "Stay away! I'm a killer."

Bruce continued to ignore his pleas. Words like murderer, traitor, and disappointment flew from Dick's traumatized voice. Each title hit Bruce's core hard. He hated the emotional torment that Dick was forced to endure, but he wouldn't let it show. The advantages taken in order to get a resolve were cruel. He knew that at heart, Dick didn't mean any of it, he was terrified.

"You should have just left me to die." Dick tearfully bargained.

In an instant, hands grabbed Dick's upper arms, threw Dick at Bruce's chest. Arms firmly held him there. The room was hit with a wave of eerie silence as Dick was at a loss of words since waking up. The gesture shocked him.

Wide eyes burned into Bruce's chest as he would slowly place himself on the chair. Dick's frozen demeanor would be short lived as he tried to force himself away from Bruce.

"Let me go." Dick weakly demanded. "I don't deserve your comfort."

Everyone watched on with empathy as Bruce firmly held Dick in place.

"It's not your fault." Bruce finally confronted. "I may not love what you did, but I know you did not desire for any of this to happen. If anything, I should apologize to you."

A hand would begin to circle the messy web that was Dick's hair. A hesitant breathe brushed against Bruce's bandages. Denial plagued the acrobat's mind at Bruce's accusation.

"Why should you? You've done nothing wrong."

"I should have been a better father to you. Not just because I didn't protect you from this, but because I failed to confront the plague that lead to you killing a monster. He told me what she did."

Dread drenched Dick at the statement. While he could guess why Slade had brought it up, at the same time, he couldn't believe that Slade actually expose his secret to Bruce.

"I may not have been able to prevent your capture, but had I talked you through the issue, maybe he wouldn't have abused your misfortune. And for that I am sorry."

Dick shook his head, tears beginning to form. Peeking over Bruce's shoulder, Dick inhaled a broken breathe. Bruce didn't deserve to blame himself, not in Dick's eyes anyways, but he knew Bruce wouldn't listen to that thought.

"What's done is done." Dick sorrowfully sighed. "I should have said something a long time ago."

A subtle smirk escaped Bruce.

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?"

A nod buried itself in Bruce's shoulder. With his newly found distress lifted, Bruce decided to address the burdened bundle in his arms.

"Then you have to promise me that you'll stop blaming yourself for what he made you do."

Hair twitched as Dick negatively shook his head.

"And why not?"

"Because I don't belong here. I'm a killer. I always have been."

"Don't say that." Bruce's grip tightened. "I don't know what he told you, but you are not a killer, regardless of your lineage."

"Remember when we discussed how we're both failures as far as our family legacies?" Damian chimed in. "How I told you that I approved of your decision? I still stand by that statement. As much as Slade would have taken pleasure in building off of that heritage, one death does not make you them."

A thankful gaze approached Damian. Hearing Damian chime in his belief was an appreciated display. Looking back at Dick, Bruce took in his troubled silence.

"It's okay to let it go. You're home."

Muffled wailing escaped Dick, as tears attached to the both of them. Built up sorrow erupted as Dick finally accepted everyone's concerns. A hand circled on Dick's back, as Bruce whispered comforting phrases.

~

When Dick had finally calmed down, both he and Bruce were comfortably positioned on both of their stations. Even with puffed red rimmed eyes, Dick was finally smiling. Having given Tim a long overdue bear hug, he revealed in the euphoric presence that his family was trying to give him.

A slightly jittery Jason would peak Dick's curiosity. His distracted twitching had to have a reason, and Dick wanted to know what it was.

"As fun as this was, I'm going to make my way out." Jason finally admitted.

"What? Why?" Dick gasped, slightly disturbed.

"I've stayed for the complete duration of the problem. I'm no longer needed."

"You can't go. This ordeal isn't over yet."

"I'm not taking care of both of you. That wasn't part of the deal."

A brief reprieve wedged itself between them.

"But I'm your responsibility remember?" Dick playfully reminded. "I don't expect you to care for Bruce, but since I've been freshly injured, doesn't that mean that you aren't done being my guardian angel just yet?"

Jason bit his tongue. Having his own words used against him was the last thing he expected Dick to do. That coupled with Dick's weak attempt at puppy eyes, He had a feeling that he wasn't going to get far with the argument. Jason slowly approached Dick's bedside.

"Oh alright." Jason accepted, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'll stay. Just until you're better."

A pleased smile and gently closed eyes emitted from Dick, proud of his achievement.

"When I said to take it easy, I meant for you to rest, enjoy the time with your family, maybe even get outside." Leslie interrupted, joining the group. "Not getting yourself kidnapped and stabbed through the feet. Don't even get me started on Bruce."

"Hey Leslie." Dick greeted.

"It could be worse though. You both could be dead."

"How delightfully morbid of you." Alfred chimed in.

"Years of practice. Now, I come bearing some good news and bad news." She held up a set of X-rays that Bruce requested Tim to send. "The bad news is that you'll be off your feet for a good month or two with the proper physical therapy for a few weeks after. The good news is that your ankle wasn't damaged, it may still need some physical therapy once your wounds have healed, but not much." She shifted her attention to Bruce. "Now Bruce, considering your familiarity with injuries similar to this, you're recovery and physical therapy will probably be shorter. How do we plan to address your condition to the press?"

"I feel down the stairs while protecting Dick from doing the same during a therapy session. A few broken ribs being sustained. As for Dick, he cut his legs on glass after an episode of emotional distress. That good?"

"Plenty. By the way, I found this on my way in." She pulled out a folded up piece of paper. "I got a peek at it, and you need to see it. Just you."

Given the serious tone in her voice, Bruce knew something was wrong. Giving the others a look, they would immediately picked up his demands.

"I'll go prepare lunch." Alfred excused, being the first to make an exit.

"I'll help." Tim joined.

"If you need me father, I'll be in the garden." Damian annoyingly declared.

"Why don't we watch Damian decapitate some of the gardener's sculptures?" Jason offered.

Throwing one arm around Dick's shoulders and the other beneath his knees, Jason lifted Dick with ease and followed after the other three deserters.

Once the Cave had been vacated, Leslie approached Bruce.

"I have no idea what exactly this means, but something feels wrong." Leslie admitted, handing him the note.

Unfolding it, Bruce carefully inspected the note. Controlled tension could be seen in his eyes, even with its short message. Setting the light paper aside, a hand intently covered Bruce's mouth as he processed it's contents.

_You owe us our Gray Son._

_The Court_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to mention, whether you're interested or not I don't know, that I do plan on writing a sequel for this story. It may not be for a bit since I'm working on a few stories on Fanfiction first (and maybe a few oneshots here), but I will be writing one and have started brainstorming for it. It will focus on the Court of Owls (especially considering the ending) and it will bring in William Cobb, Dick Grayson's great grandfather.


End file.
